Slaven Bilic says the Hammers are in a good position following Sunday's FA Cup draw with Manchester United
Slaven Bilic admitted to a tinge of disappointment after his West Ham United team were pegged back in their Emirates FA Cup quarter-final tie at Manchester United on Sunday.
The Hammers and the Red Devils will have to face off again at the Boleyn Ground for a place in the competition’s last four after Anthony Martial’s late equaliser cancelled out Dimitri Payet’s wonderful free kick.
With the score locked at 1-1 after 90 enthralling minutes, a replay is needed to split the teams and Bilic says the Hammers can approach that with real confidence.
He said: “At Old Trafford, it is very hard to play with 75,000 fans and this atmosphere. It [the replay] is going to be a tough game, but I fancy us because we're going to be even more confident.
“We could have held on for 1-0 and on counter-attacks I was expecting to create one, two or three more clear-cut chances. Our dressing room was, and still is, very silent. I'm not over the moon but it means we are moving in a good direction.”
Bilic also felt the Hammers could have had more luck with the big calls in the game.
He added: “There were a couple of appeals for handball, but nothing in them. The one on Payet, for all the neutrals, is a penalty. You know you are taking a big gamble [going to ground] in the box.
“And then for the equaliser, it is hard for the referee to see it, but for me it is a clear foul from Schweinsteiger, when the ball is nowhere near him.
“If Randy wasn’t fouled, then he would have been there to stop the ball. It’s hard for the referee, but if you ask me, two crucial decisions have gone against us.”
The Hammers and the Red Devils will have to face off again at the Boleyn Ground for a place in the competition’s last four after Anthony Martial’s late equaliser cancelled out Dimitri Payet’s wonderful free kick.
With the score locked at 1-1 after 90 enthralling minutes, a replay is needed to split the teams and Bilic says the Hammers can approach that with real confidence.
He said: “At Old Trafford, it is very hard to play with 75,000 fans and this atmosphere. It [the replay] is going to be a tough game, but I fancy us because we're going to be even more confident.
“We could have held on for 1-0 and on counter-attacks I was expecting to create one, two or three more clear-cut chances. Our dressing room was, and still is, very silent. I'm not over the moon but it means we are moving in a good direction.”
Bilic also felt the Hammers could have had more luck with the big calls in the game.
He added: “There were a couple of appeals for handball, but nothing in them. The one on Payet, for all the neutrals, is a penalty. You know you are taking a big gamble [going to ground] in the box.
“And then for the equaliser, it is hard for the referee to see it, but for me it is a clear foul from Schweinsteiger, when the ball is nowhere near him.
“If Randy wasn’t fouled, then he would have been there to stop the ball. It’s hard for the referee, but if you ask me, two crucial decisions have gone against us.”