Inspirational Tevez rises above the controversy

West Ham Utd 3 Bolton 1:Eggert Magnusson yesterday risked further deterioration in his relationship with West Ham's relegation rivals by delivering a "put up or shut up" message to those planning to challenge the decision not to dock points over the Tevez-Mascherano affair.

Charlton, Wigan, Fulham and Sheffield United are expected to receive advice from their lawyers within the next 48 hours before finalising how they will react to the Premier League commission's controversial ruling that West Ham should receive only a fine for their breach of league rules.

"I can understand in a way (how Wigan feel) but I cannot understand going every day to the press and saying this and that," said the West Ham chairman. "If they are going to make a legal challenge they should come out when they decided to do so.

"Paul Jewell said it well on Match of the Day. He said it was not Carlos Tevez or West Ham not being deducted points that they (Wigan) were now in the relegation zone; it was just because they were not playing well enough. These matters should be decided on the field of play."

If West Ham's rivals are advised there is no basis for an appeal to the Premier League, one possible course could be direct action against the club.

West Ham, though, are confident enough of their position to continue playing Tevez, while Magnusson revealed the club had not ruled out appealing the £5.5-million fine.

"I asked for my people to take a long, deep breath, read the judgment. We have done nothing at this stage but we will probably look into these things this week. I was not expecting a point deduction but the fine was of course very high."

Any guilt over the signing of Tevez was certainly well concealed at West Ham on Saturday in what could be his last appearance in front of an adoring Upton Park. The Argentinian's face was plastered all over the front of the programme under the headline "Hammer of the year" while his barnstorming performance was the dominant factor in West Ham's sixth win in eight games.

It was a display to rub sandpaper across the wounds of those contesting his arrival in English football and one that lifted West Ham out of the bottom three for the first time since December.

Tevez was noncommittal about his future plans.

"There's a whole range of things we would have to sit down and talk about," he said.

Manager Alan Curbishley was equally vague: "There are loads of things that go into that (Tevez staying), firstly the boy as well. I think he enjoys where we are, he enjoys the fans, but I've not spoken to him too much about his own life."

Magnusson was more positive: "He is a great lad, great footballer, he loves his football, he likes playing for West Ham. I would like to see him still at West Ham for the next few seasons but there are a lot of things that have to be resolved before that happens."

Amid all the complications Tevez's ability to ignore the controversy and adapt his game to English football is now beyond doubt. In the opening half-hour he destroyed Bolton with a mixture of guile, touch, work-rate and clinical finishing.

His first goal - which involved scrapping to win the ball back, gaining a free-kick and then curling a shot into the top corner - summed up his qualities. His second was a clinical finish after he was set up by Luis Boa Morte.

West Ham's third was the best of the lot. Again Tevez was instrumental by showing wonderful vision to lift the ball into the path of Mark Noble, who emphatically volleyed past Jussi Jaaskelainen in the Bolton goal.

"Carlos has set up every one of the goals I've scored," said Noble. "Even if you play just little passes into him he makes angles for you. . . . it's a credit to him the way he's conducted himself with all the grief."

For Bolton, Gary Speed's second-half goal was a mere consolation. It was a bad start for the new manager, Sammy Lee, though victory at home to Aston Villa next weekend will guarantee European football.

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