Manuel Pellegrini has urged West Ham’s disgruntled fans to lay off Marko Arnautovic.
The Austrian forward’s form has slumped since he tried to engineer a move to China in January.
The 29-year-old, who has not scored in eight appearances, was booed off as he was substituted during West Ham’s last two matches.
“I don’t think anybody can be happy,” said the Hammers boss.
“The fans are not happy, me, Marko is not happy, but this happens to some players in a moment of the season when they are not in their best moment. Maybe they need the support more than to punish them.
“Talking with Marko, he wants to do things better. He is absolutely involved with our team, what happened with China is now over and finished.
“If anyone thinks that Marko doesn’t want to be here at West Ham, they are wrong. Marko is absolutely involved mentally and physically.
“I repeat, he is not in a good moment but, supporting him, he will return to what he demonstrated some months ago.
“A lot of players at parts of the season have bad performances. It is not easy maybe to know that you don’t have the support of the fans that he had six months ago. But with his work and a positive mentality he will return.”
Pellegrini branded the Everton defeat West Ham’s worst performance of the season, dealing their hopes of finishing seventh, and a potential Europa League place, a major blow.
“Nobody was happy after the game,” he added. “But we will try to finish this season as high as we can in the table. We are trying to involve all the players in that mentality.”
