Tuesday 15 September 2015 10:40, UK
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic has heaped praise on Dimitri Payet after the forward scored twice to sink Newcastle.
The summer signing from Marseille scored early in both halves to seal a 2-0 victory at Upton Park and confirm the Hammers' best start to a Premier League season in seven years.
But it was less the France international's goals and more his teamwork and graft that had Bilic purring.
The West Ham boss told Sky Sports: "He's not only a great player that is deciding games but he makes all players around him play better.
"That is the most important thing you want in a footballer; someone who is not only an individual but a team player.
"I've known him a long time and I tried to get him to Besiktas last year but it was impossible. He is the player I really wanted from the start and hoped he would come [but] I didn't believe it would happen."
The win was West Ham's second in a row after a shock 3-0 victory at Anfield a fortnight ago, and it lifted Bilic's team up to fifth in the table with three victories from five games.
Bilic said: "The victory is was small proof that we are in a good way and that we've really done well in the transfer window.
"I think we fully deserved three points. It was a big relief to get the home win. We need the fans to come to the stadium and enjoy themselves, but in the last two we lost at home we were sloppy and made bad mistakes
"But we have showed a good reaction and we need a really good season. The club are moving forward and into a new stadium. We need a good team that can defend and attack with numbers, keep the ball, and we are working on that."
