West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini feels trust will be key to whether his team can maintain their impressive start to the new season.
The Hammers recovered from a 5-0 home demolition by defending champions Manchester City in their first Premier League fixture to pick up seven points from the next three games.
West Ham are on a four-game unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to the Citizens, having also progressed into the third round of the EFL Cup after a routine 2-0 success at Newport County.
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Pellegrini again strengthened his squad this summer, bringing in six new players, and the arrival of club-record signing Sebastien Haller has provided a real boost in the attacking department.
The 25-year-old, who joined from Eintracht Frankfurt for £45million, has scored three goals from as many games and the manager has warned there is more to come from the former France Under-21 international.
However, Chilean tactician Pellegrini knows progress this season can only be maintained if everyone in the squad is pushing for the same goal – both at the training base and out on the pitch.
“In the way that we are working right now, one season (before) and three months of this new season, the players are having more trust in what they must do in every game,” he said. “Football can be so quick to change though that you must understand it is not just a matter of trust.
“It is to play as a team, 11 players defending and then with the ball, 11 players making movements and when you have that trust, you have a positive mentality in your players.”
West Ham return to Premier League action on Monday evening when they make the trip to Villa Park to take on Dean Smith’s men.
English winger Michail Antonio is set for a spell of rehabilitation following surgery on a hamstring problem suffered during the Carabao Cup win at Newport, while centre-back Winston Reid is also unavailable.
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