West Ham manager Slaven Bilic says that star player Dimitri Payet has been targeted by fans for his poor performances like Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo because their expectation level is so high.
The Hammers beat Chelsea in the EFL Cup, but have picked up just two wins in their last eight Premier League games and sit three points above the relegation zone in 17th after a 2-0 defeat to Everton.
"Inevitably there is dissatisfaction after a defeat and it seemed like Dimitri Payet was singled out for criticism from some supporters," Bilic wrote in the Evening Standard.
"Every big player has that burden of expectation because they set a high standard.
"They are the ones who have to produce and it is hard for them to do that week in and week out. It's the same with all the great players. If Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't produce for a couple of games, then questions are asked around the football world, not only in Madrid.
"That is also why they are the best players -- because the manager, their teammates, the fans, are expecting top performances from the top players."