West Ham United manager Julen Lopetegui expressed satisfaction with his team’s improved second-half performance in their victory over Crystal Palace. The Hammers secured their first three points of the season thanks to goals from Tomáš Soucek and Jarrod Bowen.
In an interview with The Evening Standard
He said: “It has been a very balanced match, in my opinion, above all the first half. But we achieved the three points, we are happy but above all because the players have fought very well to achieve the three points.
“We suffered in this pre-season a lot. We have had one very strange pre-season for lots of reasons.
“It’s a good feeling that Edson (Alvarez) arrived (from injury), it’s a good feeling that Alphonse (Areola) has made here and of the rest of the players to see all of them connected with the teamwork.”
West Ham’s unusual fixture schedule does not see them leave London until their November 2 trip to Nottingham Forest but Lopetegui insisted he treats every game in the capital the same.
He added: “We are not going to know another city! Always in London. This, for me, is the same. If we play against one London team, for me it’s the same.
“I know sometimes for the fans but for me it’s the same. We want three points, it’s always very important.”