David Moyes has been speaking ahead of West Ham United’s trip to Manchester City on Wednesday evening.
The Hammers seek to record a first win at the Etihad Stadium since 2015/16 and will hope to bounce back following a 4-3 defeat to Crystal Palace last time out.
A seven-goal thriller at Selhurst Park saw West Ham unable to record a third straight league win on their travels, with Moyes and company seeking their fourth away win of the season in Manchester.
Speaking ahead of training at Rush Green, the boss talked about the challenge Manchester City will pose, Erling Haaland’s form and how to stop City’s marquee striker and also his hopes for an important run of fixtures through May.
We have one or two knocks and niggles.
Kurt Zouma is the biggest fear. We think we might lose Kurt for a few weeks but we are still assessing his ankle at the moment. I wouldn’t [want to put a time on it] because I am not a medical man. But Kurt is a bit different. He is good and getting himself ready and back fit. We are hoping he will be fine.
You approach the fixture against Manchester City in the same you would any other fixture.
We know we are playing a very good team. We have been to the Etihad a lot and it has been hard to win. But we have given them some really good games when we have played them, and the games have been really close. I am hoping we can put up another good show.
I don’t think anybody has got the answer [on how to stop Erling Haaland].
He is the icing on the cake for them. They have so many good players who can create chances and he is such a good finisher. They have a great team and that is topped off by Haaland.
I think for anybody to come into the Premier League and do so well is incredible.
But I think they have a team which can give [Haaland] great opportunities. And what he is, is a terrific finisher whether it is with his head or his feet. Or running in behind. Or scoring inside the box. He is certainly got all the attributes of a top goalscorer. But he has a team behind him, who I wouldn't say make it easy for him, but they try to make it as easy as they can for him to score.
I felt we are a good enough team to improve our results. I have always felt that.
Since the World Cup, our run of results has been much better. Recently, we have had a really good run but, obviously, the last week has been difficult with a couple of games that didn’t quite go our way.
But the players have been trying to get back to it. A week ago, we had one of the best weeks we have had for a while, so we are just trying to build on that and continue that.
Our performance against Liverpool was good, but not so much against Palace. But overall, I have been pleased with how the players have been performing.
I didn’t expect the energy levels to be low [at Crystal Palace] on Saturday.
But I think there will be games where it happens. You see it in the best teams. Manchester City, they have a lot of games. They will have somewhere in their journey where their energy levels are low and not as good as they have been in the past.
I will only concentrate on what we can do.
To try and make sure that we win the next games. And that’s the most important thing in football: to win games. See where it takes you. And if we get the points great. And if we don’t, we move on and go again.
We are one of two teams, from the UK, to be left in European football. We have got a semi-final to play, and it would be terrific if we could get to a final with West Ham.
I think the Premier League has had some incredible seasons.
Not only when Leicester City won the league. You look at Sir Alex [Ferguson’s] teams. The rise of Manchester City. Arsene Wenger as well.
I think to say [Manchester City] are the best team would be a bit unkind to the others. But they are certainly one of the best if not the best. It is another exciting Premier League season.
I don’t think any football game is a free hit.
Every game is important. And there is a big battle at the bottom end of the league, so we are certainly not going to give up any game. And we have to go out there and put in the best performance we possibly can.
What I do know from being a manager is that you do need to be given a chance.
You need good people behind you. And you need good support. Very rarely do you go through and season without bad times. And when you do you need people behind you to support you.
As a manager, you need to be lucky to have good owners and people who support you.
Throughout my career, I have had really good chairmen, who don’t buckle when the call comes. And thankfully, I have had throughout my career.
I would say that hopefully, the decisions don’t all go one way and that it changes around for you.
The decisions might go in your favour. The last couple have been a little bit hard to take, I have to say. I don’t think we are quite sure when VAR can intervene and when it can’t.
I think you are seeing how important it is to be a Premier League club and what the value of it is [because of the number of managerial changes].
I don’t think I can ever remember the Premier League having as many interim managers as this year. It has different roles and different changes. I think a lot of clubs might look back and say did we make the right decision, but some clubs might think we didn’t get that right.
I am really somebody who wants to champion all the young coaches.
I think there are some really good young coaches coming through. And I think there are a lot of new things in football but if you are going into an industry where there is very little security.
For all managers now I think the first job is the hardest one. Because if you don’t have some success in your first job. You are struggling to get a second job. Or stay in your first job. And quite often you don’t get looked at again. So, it is a difficult road.
