West Ham manager Slaven Bilic has admitted that his clubs record signing Marko Arnautovic is enduring a tough start to his career with the Hammers.

The Austrian international joined the Hammers during the summer from Stoke City for a deal worth up to £25m and since then he has failed to hit the ground running.

He ended up getting sent off in only his second appearance for the club following a dangerous elbow on Southampton's Jack Stephens and received a three match ban.

Arnautovic was restored to the Hammers starting 11 during their game against Burnley on Saturday but was sacrificed at half time following Andy Caroll's red-card.

"Yes, he has made a slow start but that is because he got suspended for three games and then he missed the last game because of the the flu he got," said the Croatian.

"His slow start is because of his mistake. This (substitution) was just tactical: he didn't go out because of a bad performance, he was taken off because my staff and I decided we needed an extra man in midfield.

"I think it was a good decision."