Javier Hernandez hopes his blossoming partnership with Marko Arnautovic will fire West Ham to Premier League safety.
Hernandez and Arnautovic were both on target as the Hammers gave their survival hopes a major shot in the arm with a 2-0 win over Watford.
Mexico striker Hernandez headed his third goal in four Premier League games before half-time, and Austrian playmaker Arnautovic capped an all-action performance with the second 12 minutes from the end.
“Marko is an unbelievable, all-around player and it gives you a lot of confidence when you play up front with a player like him,” Hernandez told the club website.
“We have a good understanding with each other and both of us scored. That’s a good thing for a striker.
“Not only did we score, but the whole team ran with high intensity and we showed that we wanted the three points.
“Three points are three points whoever they come against, and we need to keep going day-by-day and game-by-game because every game is going to be a final.”
These two… pic.twitter.com/En2JVlQGr7
— West Ham United (@WestHamUtd) February 10, 2018
The duo now have seven goals apiece this season, with West Ham’s latest victory moving them up to 30 points, level with Watford.
Meanwhile, Hornets striker Stefano Okaka was not in their squad despite not being injured. Okaka had looked set to leave Vicarage Road before the transfer deadline with Fulham, Malaga and Galatasaray all linked, but a move did not materialise.
Yet he was not involved at the London Stadium despite boss Javi Gracia having only 17 senior players available.
“It’s another situation,” said Gracia. “This week he was out of training, he was out of the team. Maybe next week he will be with us, but at this moment I can’t say anything else.”
