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David Moyes revealed how the entire dressing room applauded goalscorer Andriy Yarmolenko after his goal set West Ham on their way to an important victory against Aston Villa.

In the grand scheme of things, a football match is of little consequence when compared to the carnage currently being wrought on the Ukrainian's home country.

However Yarmolenko's team mates have been doing all they can to ensure he is supported as much as possible since the war began - including the impromptu round of applause that followed his exceptional performance and goal against Villa on Sunday.




"It was a great win, a really tough win," began Moyes. "The Premier League throws up tight games. At 2-0 we were comfortable, but it did not stay that way which was no surprise.

"It was a special moment when Yarmolenko scored and it was good that he was involved. He has not trained much and has lost a little bit of weight, which is understandable [in the circumstances], so all those things make it important.

"It was a terrific goal. Everyone who knows him knows he is technically a really good player. We are pleased for him and for his family as well.

"The whole dressing room applauded him when he was brought in. It was a big moment for him. I hope in some way what the media puts out shows how everybody is thinking about it [the war], because football has a huge appeal all around the world.

"I hope it will give the Ukrainians something to shout about as they are seeing we are talking about it in this country all the time.

"Yarmolenko helped us and played well. We have never doubted him as a footballer, he is technically excellent. The goal was important, but the message more so."

Moyes also confirmed that he had left the decision regarding his availability down to the number seven - while adding that his team mates had been helping out behind the scenes.

"I spoke to him on Saturday as before the other [recent] games he didn't feel right," revealed the boss. "He was traveling to Seville with us but was ill, so couldn't travel in the end. He hasn't done a lot of training either, just a few days.




"We'd given him time off at the start because he was on the phone all the time. Then he came in a little, but he has been in for three or four days over this [recent] period. He is fit and lean, still I was quite surprised that he did so well. He played the best part of 45 minutes.

"He has family members in Ukraine and family here too. [Lukasz] Fabianski has been a really big help to him regarding getting [family] into Poland as well. So there has been real team spirit and a major team effort behind the scenes.

"I think everyone in our country is together and against what is happening. My team has come together to help Yarmolenko and to support him as best we possibly can.

"But we're not the only ones doing something special, the whole country is. All you people [the media] too as you are writing against it and talking against it. We are not doing anything special, we are just helping somebody who is Ukrainian."

And Moyes added that everyone at West Ham had been pulling together in order to help Yarmolenko as much as possible.

"We have offered help, the club have been great," he added. "They've given him everything they can and asked what can we do. Karren Brady has been on the phone asking is there anything more we can do.

"If any of his family members can get over we would try and make sure we can do the right things for them too, if we had to. But anybody would do the same if you were in that position.

"He is just grateful and appreciates that everyone is trying to help him. His reaction in the dressing room was good."

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