02 March 2024 , 07:15
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David Moyes wants Jarrod Bowen to become the first West Ham player to score 20 goals in a Premier League season.
But after his hat-trick against Brentford on Monday earned the Hammers a much-needed first win of 2024, Moyes claims the England international is “still learning his trade” as a centre forward.
Bowen has thrived since being moved in from the wing earlier this season and has already contributed 14 league goals - two behind Paolo Di Canio’s club-leading 16 in 1999/00. Tony Cottee is the last West Ham player to hit 20 in a top-flight campaign, back in 1986/87.
And ahead of their visit to Everton, Moyes said: “If he could get to 20 goals that would be amazing. I think he’s got something which others might not have, a little bit of an idea of what he’s supposed to do and what he wants to do.
“He could run away from you, he can score with his right and left. He’s always out practising his finishing. When he played on the right he was still probably one of our biggest goalscorers.”
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Moyes wants his attack to be fluid with the fit again Lucas Paqueta and Mo Kudus both capable of playing centrally and if Bowen is to go on a barren run, that flexibility means the West Ham boss can return the 27-year-old to the flanks.
"I think he's still learning his trade,” Moyes said. “I'm giving myself and Jarrod a little wriggle room to say if you can't hack this, if you don't work well enough, if you don't receive it well back to goal, don't worry we'll always move you back to play on the right.”
West Ham, who remain without the suspended Kalvin Phillips, are still in the hunt for a European spot after ending an eight-game winless run against the struggling Bees.
David Moyes returns to face former club Everton today. (Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images)Yet the former Everton boss Moyes is expecting the Toffees to be a sticky proposition after they had their points deduction for breaches of financial rules reduced from 10 to six.
And he says Sean Dyche deserves bags of praise, adding: "He's the right man for the job at this moment in time. There'll be very few people who think he hasn't done a good job.
"His teams are very tough to play against. You've got to work with what you've got and get the best out of the players you're working with and I think Sean's doing that."
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