London (AFP) – West Ham manager Slaven Bilic couldn’t resist a dig at want-away star Dimitri Payet following the impressive 3-0 win over Premier League strugglers Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The 48-year-old Croat said his players had been ‘magnificent’ and showed it was more about the team than any individual player as they ended a streak of three games without a win or a goal.
Payet — whose photograph outside the ground had to be guarded by a steward and the fans normal laudatory chant of him was replaced by more abusive terms — has said he wants to leave and won’t play for them.
His former club Marseille is believed to want to re-sign him for £20 million ($24 million, 22.3million euros) but co-owner David Sullivan wrote in the matchday programme they will not grant the 29-year-old’s demand to move.
“Payet is a great player so you are losing quality, but the team showed it is about the team and not individuals. This is a great example for that,” said Bilic.
“So let’s talk about (Andy) Carroll, or Darren Randolph, or Mark Noble.
“Michail Antonio had flu and a temperature of 38.4 last night. He showed brilliant determination, brilliant quality. That’s what I want to talk about.”
Despite suffering from flu Antonio set up all three goals, Sofiane Feghouli’s first in the Premier League, a brilliant bicycle kick from Carroll and Manuel Lanzini rounded it off with his fourth goal in as many matches against Palace.
Payet joined West Ham from Marseille in a reported £10.7 million deal in 2015 and had a sensational first season, scoring 12 goals and supplying 12 assists.
The exciting France international signed a new £125,000 a week five-and-a-half-year contract with West Ham last February.
200+ Channels With Sports & News
- Starting price: $33/mo. for fubo Latino Package
- Watch Premier League, Women’s World Cup, Euro 2024 & Gold Cup
The New Home of MLS
- Price: $14.99/mo. for MLS Season Pass
- Watch every MLS game including playoffs & Leagues Cup
Many Sports & ESPN Originals
- Price: $10.99/mo. (or get ESPN+, Hulu & Disney+ for $14.99/mo.)
- Features Bundesliga, LaLiga, Championship, & FA Cup
2,000+ soccer games per year
- Price: $5.99/mo
- Features Champions League, Serie A, Europa League & Brasileirāo
175 Premier League Games & PL TV
- Starting price: $5.99/mo. for Peacock Premium
- Watch 175 exclusive EPL games per season