Slaven Bilic hails Dimitri Payet and half time changes in West Ham win

West Ham scored three goals in the second half to stun Bournemouth and pick up a vital three points that has the Hammers up to fifth place in the league.

The difference in the match came at half time when Slaven Bilic inserted Dimitri Payet. The West Ham manager pointed to the formation alteration as the keys to victory, but, more than anything, he praised his "top class player" Payet.

"Dimitri is that kind of player -- top class," Bilic said. "We waited for him to come back and he makes a difference.

"He is an individual in the last third of the pitch but with his presence he makes the other players better and that is why we got him.

"I expect him to play like this and he is still not 100 percent fit."

The Hammers beat Bournemouth with free kicks and Eddie Howe couldn't get past how easily the Cherries gave away the fouls for them. He felt that, along with some poor passing, is what doomed his side.

“The quality of West Ham’s first and third goal were the difference tonight,” Howe told AFC Bournemouth's website.

“Both of the free-kicks were right out of the top drawer – there’s little we could have done about either goal, apart from giving away the free-kicks in the first place.

“We knew about the quality that West Ham have, the quality players that can turn a game in any second. But still, looking at ourselves, we can do better than that.”

Bournemouth are 16th, just three points from the drop zone. The addition of Benik Afobe could be enough to keep them in the top flight, which Howe will be hoping after the new striker put in a solid shift in his first match for the Cherries.