David Moyes spoke to the media this morning in a virtual press conference ahead of the Hammers trip to Old Trafford for Tuesday night’s FA Cup fifth-round tie against Manchester United
What are your reflections on the Tomas Soucek red card?
I am disappointed with football in general that the officials would allow these situations to take over from the game. I can only see the officials being the people that can stop it by not allowing the players to get away with the actions they are taking, because it is making the referee’s decision so difficult in giving them a decision when there wasn’t one to give.
Do you hold Mitrovic responsible?
Every footballer has a responsibility to do the correct thing but the officials are giving the players an opportunity to gain success by their actions. The only people who can stop it are the officials. No-one else can change it. If players are going to do this, it needs to change.
If they are going to be rewarded by getting players sent off and winning penalties and getting an advantage, we can’t let that happen. There is nobody else who can stop it other than the officials.
Does it create doubt in your mind for your team tomorrow against Manchester United?
I am looking forward to it. It is a tough draw but quite often in the cup you need to get good draws on the journey as well but I also believe that to get to the final you probably have to play some big sides on your way there and you have to win some big games.
This is a really big game for us, a tough game against an in-form side.
You know more than anyone the pressures that come with being manager of Manchester United, Solskjaer gets praised and slated almost on a weekly basis. How do you view the work he is doing there?
Given the time he has been given he has started to mould together a really young and exciting team. They have had a couple of really good players come through the academy, [Mason] Greenwood, and [Marcus] Rashford, just to name a couple who have certainly helped.
They have brought in a couple of players which has helped the team also. They are building a nice team but the time Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] has been given has made a big difference and given him the chance to do that.If only you had had the same amount of time?
It is football. That time has gone now and I am enjoying my time at West Ham. Hopefully, over time I can do a good job here.
Will you pick a first-choice team for this game?
We have picked strong teams against Stockport and Doncaster, so we are certainly not picking a weakened team, we may have one or two changes through injury or suspension but we plan to go there with a really strong team and if we can, get through to the next round of the cup.
Do you take pride in taking West Ham to Old Trafford sixth in the league?
I am really pleased with how the players have done, and how they have come on.
We gave Manchester United a very good game at our stadium and it was a strange decision that changed the game when we were winning 1-0. It changed it and got them back in it.
Overall I think we have competed quite well against the top teams. We have a bit to go before we get to that level and sometimes that is very difficult to get there, but we hope to go there and give them a very good game. We want to go there and try and get through in the cup.
The FA Cup has always caused upsets so we have got to try and do that this time.
Why do you think West Ham haven’t had a penalty this season?
I tell the players to stay on their feet and not go down easily. I like the game to be played correctly.
Do you think other managers should do the same?
It’s up to them, maybe I am wrong and we should be looking to gain but I want us to be an honest football team and I want us to try and do things correctly. That will not always happen, it obviously won’t but we’ve not been getting penalty kicks that’s for sure.
I hope there are a bundle of penalties in the second half of the season.
Is Michail Antonio available following his fatigue on Saturday?
Still fatigued. It will be a close call whether he makes it or not. I will see how he is today and assess him tomorrow to see if he is able to play or not.
Do you have enough options if he is not able to play tomorrow?
It has been well documented that we don’t have lots of different options, we are well aware of that. We chose to do it, I did not want to waste £15-20 million on someone I was not sure about so that was the option we chose to take.
Where do you think Manchester United have progressed recently?
Bruno Fernandes has given them another dimension completely. They have had really talented players prior to that but he orchestrates most of their good play, and at the end of it they have great speed and ability in Rashford, Greenwood, [Anthony] Martial, and [Edinson] Cavani.
They have really talented players but we have talented players as well. We need to go there and put on a good show.
We drew at Old Trafford at the end of last season and for long periods at home certainly played as well as Manchester United albeit we didn’t win the game..
Is Aaron Cresswell in the mix for England when the next international break comes?
If he keeps his standards and his form up he will be close because when you are an English player you are always in the spotlight if you can get some good form.
England have got one or two good left-backs and people who can play as a left centre-back in a three, but I think Cressie’s form in the first half of the season has been very good.
West Ham have equalled lasts season’s points tally already, is that an indication of how this side is growing?
I think the team has done really really well, I can’t praise players enough but I genuinely think we have another step to go.
We have got to hand in when we are not playing so well and find ways and solutions to pick points up but I have seen performances recently that have given me hope that we can keep getting better. We need to keep driving them on with half a season to go.
Hopefully, we can keep showing our form from the first half of the season in the second half.
Presser transcript Credit Tom Clark/Football.London