Manuel Pellgrini has criticised West Ham fans who left the London Stadium early during the weekend’s defeat to Bournemouth.

The Hammers were pegged back from 1-0 up to lose 2-1 on Saturday, with two second-half goals in the space of six minute from Callum Wilson and Steve Cook sealing all three points from the visitors.

“The stadium was empty with 10 minutes to go, we can still score in that time,” said Pellegrini after the defeat. “They need to believe but if you don’t have results it is more difficult for them.

“I perfectly understand if you are losing 4-1 or 5-1 and you have got five minutes till the game finishes, maybe you leave early to your house. But losing 2-1…?

“At this moment the players need everybody together, the fans, the team, the manager, the owners, everybody. Maybe the fans had a reason, but I just wanted to clarify how important the fans are for the result of the games.”

West Ham were heavily beaten by Liverpool in their opening Premier League fixture, and up next is a trip to Arsenal.

The Hammers travel to The Emirates on Saturday, and while Pellegrini knows it will be another tough afternoon for his side, the Argentine does not plan to change his starting XI too drastically as he searches for his first points as West Ham manager.

“We are not going to change too many things. I don’t think we need to at this moment,” he said, “We need to trust one way which we must play and then let the players put in the performance.

“If you review my career, at Villarreal, at Malaga, in Manchester, the first games that I managed were never good games. I remember in Manchester we lost our first three games away.

“I’m not worried about that, but as soon as we can win it would be better.”