James Tomkins has vowed to work even harder on his game after coming up an in-form Wayne Rooney.
The Manchester United and England striker was in scintillating form at Old Trafford, scoring twice in the Red Devils' 3-0 victory to take his season's tally to 27 goals.
However, the 24-year-old could have added to his tally had it not been for a number of important challenges from England Under-21 defender Tomkins - the reigning SBOBET Player of the Month for January.
"Sometimes you can't do anything to stop him," admitted the 20-year-old. "For a young lad, he is a clever player. It's hard to imagine that he's still so young. We'll look at the video and try to improve, because we need to try and do better next time."
Rooney benefitted from one marvellous piece of play to open the scoring on 37 minutes, heading home Antonio Valencia's first-time volleyed cross.
Tomkins admitted that the goal put an end to a bright opening from the Hammers on Tuesday that had seen Valon Behrami and Alessandro Diamanti go close to giving Gianfranco Zola's side the lead.
"Obviously we were playing against world-class players. I thought we started off really well against them, but their first goal was very good. The first-time cross killed us.
"The difference was in and around the box, and that's why they have paid the prices they have for the world-class players they have got. They pass the ball around and keep the ball nicely, and it makes you think what you can improve on. You look at them and see how you can become a better player."
With the trip to Old Trafford now behind them, West Ham will prepare for the visit of Bolton Wanderers to the Boleyn Ground a week on Saturday.
"Tuesday's was the sort of game where the pressure is off because you're not expected to win, so we're looking to the next game now.
"We were on a good run before that game and the lads showed in glimpses what we can do. We'll look to the next game and try to be more of an attacking threat as well. Bolton will present us with a different proposition and a different style of play.
"We've got some very important games at home coming up and the Bolton one is a massive one. Hopefully we can get the fans behind us and get back to winning ways again."
Before Bolton's visit on Saturday 6 March, however, Tomkins has England's UEFA 2011 European U21 Championship qualifier with Greece to look forward to.
Stuart Pearce's side take on the Greeks at Doncaster Rovers' Keepmoat Stadium home on Wednesday 3 March knowing a win would take them above their opponents to the top of the Group Nine table.
"That's my next game and I'll be concentrating on it. It's a massive game against Greece and if we win that we'll be in good shape. It's us and Greece who are looking like the strongest teams in our group and, if we can beat them, we'll be in a very good position."