West Ham manager Slaven Bilic has conceded record-signing Marko Arnautovic has made a slow start to life at the club.
The Hammers shelled out £25m to sign Arnautovic from Stoke over the summer but the Austria international has struggled to make any significant impact so far this season.
Arnautovic, who was subbed off at half-time in West Ham’s 1-1 draw with Burnley at the weekend, still hasn't scored this season and Bilic admits it’s been a slow start for the 28-year-old.
“Yes, he has made a slow start,” Sky Sports quote Bilic as saying. “But that is because he got suspended for three games and then he missed the last game, because of the flu he got.
“His slow start is because of his mistake. This [substitution] was just tactical. He didn’t go out because of a bad performance; he was taken off because my staff and I decided we needed an extra man in midfield. I think it was a good decision.”
Arnautovic only highlight as a West Ham player so far this season was a red card in their 3-2 defeat to Southampton in their second game of the season.