West Ham boss David Moyes has defended the playing style of Andy Carroll.

Moyes was forced to substitute Carroll in the 65th minute of the 2-0 defeat at Watford on Sunday with the striker on a yellow card.

He said, "In the 27th minute when he was booked, he was scythed by two people. So if that had been anyone else out there from outside this country then they would have gone down and taken a free kick. Andy didn't.

"We are a country who want to rule out simulation which is 100 per cent correct. He stays up and is hit by two people and he gets zero protection.

"Are you telling me Andy Gray, Joe Jordan, Duncan Ferguson jumped without using their hands for leverage? Anyone who says that has never played the game. I'm telling you, you can only jump with your arms for leverage. It is my specialist subject...I was a centre half so I needed to use my arms for protection. If we are now saying you can't use your arms for leverage, that isn't in the rules of football.

"From minute one every time Andy Carroll plays... is everyone going to say “that's a foul by Andy Carroll?" If we do, we've got to say now that if you're 6 ft 4 you better go to basketball and stop being a centre-forward."