Pellegrini also hopes 'leader' Pablo Zabaleta can continue playing on
Friday 21 December 2018 16:19, UK
West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini says work on the training ground has helped the club recover from a difficult start to the season.
West Ham are aiming to win five Premier League games in a row for the first time since February 2006 when they face Watford on Saturday.
Robert Snodgrass was asked to lose weight at the start of the season and has been revitalised under Pellegrini, with two goals in his last two games, and Pellegrini says Snodgrass was not the only player he sought more from.
He said: "What I demanded from Robert is exactly the same I demanded from Michail Antonio, Javier Hernandez, Marko Arnautovic and Lucas Perez.
"I know as a manager the performance they can have every single game if they are at 8 or 7.5 out of 10. They have to play at this level of performance with the quality that they have, that is my demand for all of them.
"After that they have to solve any issues with the way they work and train. There are moments in football when some players have a very good moment and sometimes for different reasons others do not. That's why in every position we want competition so the players always feel the pressure to perform."
The former Manchester City manager was also asked how long defender Zabaleta could play on for. The pair worked together for three years at the Etihad before reuniting in east London.
Pellegrini added: "He is just 33-years-old and it's not so old. He is on for every game and he is a leader also inside the club even though he has not been here for so long.
"Everyone listens to what he says. He is a player I worked with before at Manchester City, I know him very well. I hope he can continue for long in the way he is going."
West Ham take on Watford at the London Stadium on Saturday but do not boast a great record in the fixture.
Watford have won four of their last seven Premier League meetings with two of those victories coming at West Ham.
Both teams are on 24 points and a win would move one of them above Manchester United before they play Cardiff in the evening kick off on Saturday.
