SHOWCASE-Soccer-Better concentration needed to halt West Ham slump-Masuaku

Dec 7 (Reuters) - West Ham United must improve their concentration if they are to haul themselves out of their slump, according to their French defender Arthur Masuaku who is working hard to get back to his best after a two-month injury absence. "Since the beginning of the season, we have been enduring a difficult spell but we simply need to keep working hard to change things... We simply need to show better concentration," Masuaku told the club website (www.whufc.com). Slaven Bilic's side, who have 12 points from 14 games, were thrashed 5-1 by Arsenal on Saturday and are a place and a point above the relegation zone before visiting Liverpool on Sunday. "The defeat against Arsenal on Saturday was not easy and it was a big defeat for us to handle," said Masuaku. The Frenchman suffered a knee ligament injury in a League Cup clash against Accrington Stanley in September but returned with a substitute appearance in the 4-1 quarter-final defeat away to Manchester United at the end of last month. The 23-year-old ex-Olympiakos Piraeus left back, who joined West Ham in the close season, was back in the lineup against Arsenal but is still trying to regain full match fitness. "I'm continuing to work hard in training and show my energy," he said. "This is one of my first spells where I have been out of the team for this long. So I am just doing what I can to return to action." (Reporting by Debanjan Bose in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)