David Moyes has appealed for unity among West Ham United supporters after watching his new team slump to a 2-0 defeat at Watford in his first match, leaving them marooned in the relegation zone.

A number of fans made their feelings known throughout the game, with Will Hughes’s opening goal in the 11th minute greeted with a chorus of “sack the board” as West Ham made a nightmare start under the Scot in his first appointment since leaving Sunderland early last summer. Andy Carroll was also singled out for criticism by a large section of away supporters when he was withdrawn in the second half soon after Richarlison had doubled Watford’s lead and Moyes, who replaced Slaven Bilic as manager during the international break, admitted they will have to get behind the team if West Ham are to rescue themselves from their second-worst start to a Premier League season. “I don’t know the history and all the reasons for it but I have to say we need them now,” the manager said.

“We need a united club. I know that’s hard if you have grievances but I said to the players at the end that it’s hard to play when the crowd’s like that. The small things can make a big difference but I can understand their frustration because we didn’t play well enough. We need to find a way to make sure we get the club together.”

Moyes, who is looking to relaunch his career after disappointing experiences at Manchester United, Real Sociedad and Sunderland, pointed the finger at West Ham’s “big names”.

“I always thought this was a big job,” he said. “Some big players with big reputations disappointed me a lot. I thought they would show me more. They need to show me why they have got that reputation. Overall it was not good enough.”

Watford, who ended their run of three successive defeats under Marco Silva, fully deserved their victory despite heroics from the goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes when he twice denied West Ham an equaliser. But the Portuguese manager was noncommittal over whether he will still be in charge for Saturday’s trip to Newcastle following reports that he is Everton’s main target to succeed Ronald Koeman at Goodison Park, with two attempts to agree a compensation fee already believed to have failed. “What I can control and what stays in my hands is to plan the next session tomorrow and I will be at the training ground tomorrow,” Silva said.

“I know the speculation and some of you put in doubt about my commitment but my players gave a very good answer today. I don’t want to talk anything more about the situation. What I can control is my team and I will be at training for the next session on Monday.”