David Moyes believes West Ham's miserable defeat at Watford was to be expected and recognises they must improve in order to avoid relegation.

The Hammers find themselves still in the Premier League's bottom three after Moyes' first game in charge, with Will Hughes and Richarlison securing a comfortable 2-0 win for the Hornets at Vicarage Road.

Although the new manager, taking charge of a Premier League match for the 500th time, was not surprised by his side's poor display, he was still left disappointed that West Ham could not take their chances when they did come.

"Most people would have expected something like that, because that's what it's been before," he told Sky Sports.

"I was disappointed that we didn't do better, but we missed a couple of big chances - one at 1-0, we missed a couple just before half-time as well.

"The better team won the game - don't let me say different than that - but there was a chance to change the outcome of the game and we didn't do it. We're going to have to improve."

But Moyes retains belief that West Ham can turn their season around and pull clear of danger.

"We've got to try to find a way of winning," he said. "The important thing is to always have the chance to be in the game and when we lost the second goal that was much more difficult.

"I believe we will [pick up results] but we need to play much better than we did, because that performance wouldn't be good enough."

On the players' lack of confidence, he added: "I found that out actually. I was only ever going to find out what they were like once I worked with them during the week and, more importantly, during the game.

"I could see that. They needed a couple of things to go for them and, in the big moments we had, when they didn't go for us, I could see the confidence draining away from them."