ALTHOUGH West Ham United have gone down in history as the first Premier League side to lose their first three games in consecutive seasons, plenty of positives could be taken from the 3-1 defeat at Arsenal.

Marko Arnautovic fired the Hammers into the lead, but goals from Nacho Monreal and Danny Welbeck bookended an Issa Diop own goal to allow the Gunners to pick up their first three points of the Unai Emery era.

The appointment of Manuel Pellegrini has brought a lot of change, in terms of playing personnel, backroom staff and playing style, so it was always going to take time for West Ham to be at their best.

But the Hammers were unlucky not to at least grab a point at the Emirates Stadium and they would have surely claimed their first win of the Pellegrini regime were they more clinical.

While finishing is clearly something the east Londoners need to work on during training ahead of Saturday’s clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Pellegrini should certainly keep record signing Felipe Anderson in a free role.

Anderson had been restricted to the wing in his first two appearances for the club, but he was much more lively in a central role behind lone striker Arnautovic and he created a hatful of chances.

Robert Snodgrass, who was exiled out to Aston Villa on a season-long loan last term and ridiculed by the club’s owners, looks fitter than he did under previous boss Slaven Bilic and he is also starting to show why West Ham bought him from Hull City less than two years ago.

Lukasz Fabianski was in inspired form as he looked to show Arsenal fans why he was once a Gunner.

The Poland international pulled off a number of fantastic saves and could not be faulted for any of the home side’s goals.

It was a much-improved display from the Hammers and it is important that turns into wins.

A victory over Wolves this weekend would get the ball rolling.