Andy Carroll Must Start for Misfiring West Ham Against Tottenham Says Stuart Pearce

Former Hammers star Stuart Pearce has pleaded West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic to start Andy Carroll in Wednesday evening's Carabao Cup match against Tottenham. 

Pearce played for West Ham between 1999 and 2001, making 50 appearances in total and scoring three times for the Hammers. 

He also played for the likes of Coventry, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United and Manchester City during his time as a player, as well as making 78 appearances for England, scoring five more goals. 

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Now he has told his former club that Andy Carroll has to start against Tottenham in the league cup later today. Speaking on Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast on TalkSPORT, Pearce said: 

"Andy Carroll, if he's fit and available, needs to play. I think Slaven needs to put his strongest line up out."

Slaven Bilic is under increasing pressure to save his job following a poor start to the Premier League. As it stand, West Ham are 16th in the league table, level on points with Swansea, Stoke City and Everton. 

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Bilic, however, has remained resilient, insisting that he will not resign from the club. Speaking to Sky Sports Football, the 49-year-old said "(I am) never, never, never walking away. I never walked away in my life.

"It is my job and a job I like to do especially in a place that I feel, after my hometown, is like few other places, you are treated special. I played here and all that. Do I need it? Let's not be that, how can I say, that black. It is a great job."

After the league cup match on Wednesday, West Ham face a crucial game away to bottom-side Crystal Palace on Saturday in the Premier League.