**West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen says the opportunity to play against Millwall was one of the reasons he stayed at the London Stadium.**
Speaking after the 2-2 draw at the Den on Saturday, Bowen said he really wanted to experience the Dockers Derby for the first time:
“You understand the tradition that a game like this has, the hatred and the rivalry that it brings. When we went down last season, that was part of my decision to stay, to play against Millwall. I’ve achieved a lot at this club and enjoyed some great things, but playing at Millwall, some people have never experienced it.”
“We didn’t lay our glove on them in the first half, but the game wasn’t over. There was a point to prove, and we had nothing to lose. When you do it away in a game like this against rivals, it’s got that extra special feeling about it.”
Several Premier League clubs were linked with Bowen
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Liverpool, [**Chelsea**](https://hammersheadlines.com/west-ham-transfer-news-jarrod-bowen-5/) and Newcastle United were all mentioned as potential suitors for the Hammers talisman during the summer transfer window.
However, Bowen ended speculation about his future when he put pen to paper on a new contract back in July.
West Ham need to improve away from home
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As Bowen points out, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side were very disappointing in the first half on Saturday. They managed to react in the right way after the break, salvaging a point.
Even so, the club’s form on the road is concerning. The Irons may be unbeaten, winning 1 and drawing 3 of their 4 matches so far, but they have conceded 7 goals.
Nuno’s men have had to recover after falling behind against Burnley and Watford, whilst they also had difficulties against Bolton Wanderers, who were playing in League One last season. It’s an issue that has to be addressed if they are to secure automatic promotion.
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