West ham United's new signing Andriy Yarmolenko has claimed that he's eyeing up his first start for the club, and has reassured fans that his side will overcome their current run of poor form.
In an interview with Ukrainian outlet Zbirna, the winger opened up on his tricky start to life in the Premier League, and stated: "I talked with him [Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini] and he said that I shouldn't worry [about not starting] and that everything will be fine. "Do not forget that because of the injury, I missed the pre-season training.
"It takes a little time to fully understand what English football is like. It’s always hard to lose, but now I have completely switched to concentrating on the Ukrainian team [during the international break]. When I return to the club, we will get out of this situation. I’m sure we'll succeed."
"At West Ham, there’s a good coach, high-quality footballers, but this is the championship of England, which is probably the most unpredictable in Europe."
Yarmolenko joined the Hammers from Borussia Dortmund in the summer, signing for a fee of around £17m. The former Dynamo Kiev man built up an impressive reputation during his time playing in Ukraine, and has a return of 35 goals in 78 appearances for his country.
Pellegrini's team are yet to find their stride after a nightmare opening set of results. The Hammers face a tricky trip to Goodison Park next weekend, and then host high-flying Chelsea the following week.
Pressure will be mounting on West Ham's manager already, as their fans continue to become frustrated with their abject performances.
Meanwhile, former Hammers player Stuart Pearce has warned that the club could be embroiled in another relegation battle this season, if they are unable to turn their bad form around. However, Pearce contended that the host of new signings need time to gel, and backed Pellegrini to build a more cohesive unit within the coming weeks.