Allardyce full of praise for Carroll as West Ham move up to third

The 3-1 victory takes the Hammers up to third in the Barclays Premier League as their impressive start to the season continues.

Heading into the game Allardyce revealed he had opted to sign Carroll instead of Wilfried Bony in the summer of 2013, with the latter eventually moving to Swansea instead.

Since then Bony has been in great form and opened the scoring here only for Carroll, whose time at Upton Park has been plagued by injury, to hit his first goals in nine months to turn the game on its head.

Substitute Diafra Sakho added a third in the closing stages after having earlier been fouled by Swans goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski - who was shown a red card as a result.

But the day belonged to Carroll, who embraced his manager after heading home his second of the game, and Allardyce felt it was a stand-out performance for the England international.

"I have to say it was very close to it and when he has scored two at the end you would have to say yes," said Allardyce when asked if Carroll had just played his best game since joining the club.

"His movement and the quality of our balls into the box is very apparent. He is 100 per cent fit because he played all the games this week and his recovery has been good.

"Because he scored two it will make you run around more to try and get the hat-trick."

Carroll's brace doubled his Premier League haul for the Hammers since his move from Liverpool was made permanent and the 25-year-old enjoyed his afternoon.

''It was a tough game and I was getting held a bit but we got the two goals and got the win,'' he told Sky Sports 1.

''It means a lot to the lads and it obviously means a lot to get back on the scoresheet.

''I've played a few games and I have felt like I am back but obviously, until you score, you don't feel you're definitely back and now I've got two today it means a great deal.''

Swansea manager Garry Monk, who has still only led his side to one win on the road this term, was left ruing what he felt was the worst display he had seen for some time.

"I just don't think we ever reached the levels we have done this season," he said.

"That is the first time I can say that, in all the games we have played. We did not make enough correct decisions. The only time we did that we scored the goal.

"We didn't do that enough and really some of the defending, we gifted it to them on a plate to be honest. No complaints with the result, we didn't deserve anything from the game.

"We actually had our best spell when we went down to 10 men but it shouldn't take a situation like that for us to play our best football. We gave them an early Christmas present I think."

Monk also confirmed he would be considering an appeal against Fabianski's dismissal having spotted an infringement by Sakho in the build-up.

"If you look at the build-up to it, he knocks the ball past the keeper with his hand," he added.

"I don't think we dealt with the situation leading up to that point very well but before Fabianski makes any contact whatsoever, the player knocks it past with his left hand.

"Realistically it should have been a free-kick to us, it wasn't a clear goalscoring opportunity either - when you look at it with the replays it isn't (a red card). Hopefully we will appeal it."

Aston Villa captain Gabriel Agbonlahor was a happy man after his side broke their Barclays Premier League home duck at the sixth time of asking.

Goals from Ciaran Clark and Alan Hutton gave the home side a 2-1 victory at Villa Park, after Leonardo Ulloa had opened the scoring for visitors Leicester.

Agbonlahor said: "You don't want that sort of record at home. The lads did brilliantly to get the three points today, Leicester are a tough side.

"Credit to Alan, he has been our player of the season so far. And the fans were great today. That's what we need - positivity."

Hutton, who scored his first goal for more than four years, added on Sky Sports: "I'm happy to pitch in and do my best - it's been that long since my last goal.

"We showed character and confidence. We're five games unbeaten and 11th in the league, the boys are over the moon with it and hopefully we can build on this."

Hutton was involved in the 79th-minute incident which saw Paul Konchesky sent off.

The defender tackled Hutton and then clashed with the Villa man, who forced his head into Konchesky's before pushing him. The Leicester player was sent off while Hutton escaped with a yellow card.

The Scot said: "It all happened that fast. Sometimes things get heated. I was a little bit surprised he was sent off - but it's not my decision."

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Foxes boss Nigel Pearson said afterwards: "It never rains, it pours. It's another frustrating afternoon for us.

"I can't keep talking about all the positives and the good stuff. The players need a bit of a break at the minute but you need to make them happen and it's hard enough to win with 11 players, never mind 10."

On Konchesky's dismissal, he said: "Initially I thought it was for the challenge - but now I think now it's about the clash of heads.

"If it was for the challenge I'm not sure it's a straight red at all and if it's for the coming together of heads...I'm not one for asking for other players to be sent off but I'm not sure there's quality in the decision."

Pearson's out-of-form side remain rooted to the bottom of the table and he said: "The longer it goes on the harder it is - but there's no point me worrying.

"Of course I'm a proud man and I want to stay in charge but there's no point allowing those added pressures to affect how I do my job.

"I still have a lot of belief in the players and likewise they're very much behind the staff - but football remains a business in which margins are small.

"I would think most managers felt the heat in terms of pressure to get results but I do my job...and will continue to do that until told otherwise.

"That's not being blase or arrogant but rational about the situation we're in - and being prepared to work through what is a difficult time.

"It's how you deal with adversity which probably is the most important and defining thing."

Foxes goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, asked if the Leicester players were behind Pearson, added on Sky Sports: "100 per cent, absolutely no question about that."