Manuel Pellegrini was delighted with his West Ham United side as they recorded a 3-0 victory at Newcastle United and admitted the Hammers could have scored four or five more goals.
The visitors had Chicharito – who bagged a double – and Felipe Anderson to thank as their three goals yielded three points in the Premier League at St. James’ Park.
And just a second clean sheet in the league this season was also obtained by the Hammers, with centre-back duo Issa Diop and Fabian Balbuena defending impressively in the north east.
Pellegrini praised his team’s display as well as his goalscorers’ performances.
He said: “We are very satisfied because I think the team played a very good game. We scored three good goals and created at least four or five more chances to score. And we kept a clean sheet, which is not very normal for us this season, so we’re pleased. It was the complete game.
“It was of course a concern, [only keeping one clean sheet before today]. If you keep one, you can play differently. If you are a goal behind and start every game losing, it’s difficult.
“We didn’t play well defending against Manchester City, but of course we worked hard during the week and today we really played the way we need, and we defended the way we need to if we don’t want to concede goals.
We scored three good goals and created at least four or five more chances to score. We are very satisfied because I think the team played a very good game.
Manuel Pellegrini
“It has not been easy for Chicharito this season, because he arrived after the World Cup without holiday, without pre-season and it’s not easy to recover your best moments.
“But I know he’s a scorer and a player who plays very well inside the 18-yard-box, so I started with him today because before that he was not able to play a complete game. I am very happy for him and for the team.
“Felipe [Anderson] played a very good game also today. He scored one goal, he played a lot of important passes and he didn’t lose the ball. He is more used to the Premier League now and I agree that he is improving a little more in every game.”
West Ham have just two days to recover before their next Premier League fixture, with Cardiff City travelling to London Stadium on Tuesday night.
Boss Pellegrini explained the importance, now, of remaining focused and disciplined heading into Tuesday’s fixture.
“I think that the worst mistake we can make is that a fixture is available to win easily for us,” he continued. “I think that we need to play the next game the same way we did today and knowing that we need to work hard to recover without the ball and in attack, we need to play the same way.
“It was an important three points but it’s not enough; we need to recover the bad start to the season and we need to think for three points more in the next game.”