‘Good things’ - David Moyes’ verdict on Sheffield United, Paul Heckingbottom after loss at West Ham

David Moyes, the West Ham United manager, insisted Sheffield United and their boss Paul Heckingbottom deserved “a lot of credit” for their performance in defeat at the London Stadium this afternoon. The Blades lost 2-0 in the capital but showed more fight and desire than in their eight-goal hammering at home to Newcastle United last weekend.

It wasn’t enough to get them a first win of the season, with goals from Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek in the first-half sentencing them to a sixth defeat in seven games so far and keeping them at the foot of the Premier League table. But Moyes saw enough to give United credit for their display.

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“In the first 20 or 30 minutes, I thought we were pretty good,” he said. “I liked what I saw and we scored a brilliantly-worked goal. Lots of good things. I wasn’t as happy with the second half; I wanted us to score more goals if we could.

“A lot of credit has to go to Sheffield United and their manager because they’ve had a really difficult week on the back of a bad defeat and having to get their chin up. They put in a good performance and did a lot of good things. But we got the goals which is what the Premier League is all about and as a manager what it’s all about.”

United had decent openings for their striker partnership Cameron Archer, who had an effort well blocked by Nayef Aguerd, and the returning Oli McBurnie, who scuffed a shot wide after being slipped in nicely by Archer. Rhian Brewster also came off the bench for his first taste of action in almost a year.