West Ham: Awards for Sam Allardyce & Diafra Sakho

West Ham won all three of their Premier League games in October.

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has been named the Barclays Premier League manager of the month for October.

Allardyce's side beat Queens Park Rangers,Burnley and champions Manchester City as they recorded three wins out of three in the month.

Striker Diafra Sakho made it a double swoop for the Hammers, collecting the player of the month award.

The summer signing from Metz scored in all three victories and has six goals from six starts.

West Ham lie in fifth place in the Premier League, level on points with Arsenal.

The award marks a change in fortunes for a manager who was under huge pressure earlier this year following a poor run of results.

Some fans have cited a change in the style of play, following the arrival of Teddy Sheringham as attacking coach, as a reason for the side's recent turnaround.

However, former Bolton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United boss Allardyce said West Ham's best ever start to a Premier League season is not down to any change in coaching style.

"My philosophy has never changed," said Allardyce. "How the team plays best and how the best way of playing suits the team individually and collectively, the goal is always to get better and better, and always to play to win more games and be entertaining.

"It's never changed. So my philosophy is always about staying focused, trying to make the team better."