West Ham manager David Moyes has admitted he has taken ‘risks’ with his team selection in the Europa League this season and insists the club’s progress is a ‘credit to the players’.

The Hammers were already through to the knockout stages prior to Thursday night’s win over Rapid Vienna, but the result in Austria guaranteed them top spot in the group with a game to spare.

It means West Ham, while managing to maintain a challenge for a top four place in the Premier League, have won four out of five in Europe and have kept four clean sheets as well.

“We did a good job, a professional job in the end,” Moyes told West Ham TV, having seen goals from Andriy Yarmolenko and Mark Noble make the difference against Rapid.

“I think it’s not just this game, when I think how well we’ve done in all the other games, we’ve come away from now for three games and won two and drawn one. That’s a good start and I’m looking forward to the last game now at home to Dinamo Zagreb and seeing the group out.”

Moyes continued: “I’d have taken our record of four wins out of five with four clean sheets at the start. It’s a great credit to the players because sort of we’ve chopped and changed the team and taken a few risks with our team selections.

“But I think we felt it was the right thing to do and the players have not let us down at all. The players have been fantastic, they’ve all contributed and I think it’s really good for the squad and really good for the players.”

West Ham are back in action on Sunday when they face Manchester City in the Premier League.

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