Frustrated Slaven Bilic reckons the Hammers were value for three points on an afternoon when we had more possession, more free kicks, more corners and owned  the game – notably in the second half.

And the boss said: We deserved more than a point from the  game. At the end you have to settle for the point but we put in a great performance particularly in the second half.”

However, he admitted: “You can’t start like we did away from home because it is so hard to get back into things but we did and played really great.

“It was all us until we went down to ten men (following Antonio’s red card) when they got a couple of free kicks and had chances because of the extra man. But the truth is in terms of quality we were the better team.”

He took a swipe at injured Mauro Zarate who he claimed went over too easily for the penalty under a clumsy challenge from Kouyate after three minutes.

And he believed  we would be awarded one when in almost identical circumstances Kouyate suffered at the hands of Niang but instead we got nothing.

And presumably remembering the £8k fine from the West Brom game when he lost it with the ref and a microphone he said: “I have no hard feelings towards the referee.”