Marko Arnautovic is among the big names on the low in the English Premier league. His skills in scoring goals is undoubtedly among the best in the English soil.
He recorded his start boldly with goals,putting the likes of Harry Kane, Aguero, Aubamayang under pressure. But will he uphold this record of scoring goals?
He managed to make Pellegrini smile.
The big team news for the Hammers was Manuel Pellegrini’s decision to hand Andy Carroll his first start for exactly a year, while new signing Samir Nasri was included on the bench.
Chris Hughton made one change to his XI, top scorer Glenn Murray replacing Florin Andone as the lone striker.
Brighton were arguably the better of the two sides in a mixed first half, Shane Duffy having a header easily saved by Lukasz Fabianski, while the Hammers’ best chance saw Marko Arnautovic provoke a comfortable save from David Button.
West Ham made a change at the break, Carroll coming off for Lucas Perez, potentially due to a cut above the forward’s eye.
The breakthrough came in the 56th minute and went to the visitors as from a Pascal Gross corner, Fabianski struggled under pressure from Jurgen Locadia and Dale Stephens finished well with his left foot from 12 yards out.
Moments later it was 2-0 as from another Gross corner from the left, the ball bounced in the six-yard box and falling backwards, Duffy controlled with his chest and fired in from a tight angle.
West Ham needed some fresh impetus and Pellegrini decided to bring on Mark Noble and Michail Antonio and both made an impact.
First Noble knocked a long ball to Arnautovic who scrambled in from close range then moments later Antonio barged down the right and crossed to Arnautovic who smashed in off the crossbar to make it 2-2 after 68 minutes.
Surprisingly, the game petered out after that, with neither side really testing the opposition defence and all in all, a point apiece was a fair result.