West Ham United boss Graham Potter felt his side deserved more than a point after their 1-1 draw at Aston Villa on Sunday.
Villa took an early lead through Jacob Ramsey's low finish and had the better of the first half.
But Lucas Paqueta put two chances wide for the visitors and substitute Danny Ings was also just off-target in the second half.
Ezri Konsa blocked a Carlos Soler effort on the line, before Emerson headed an equaliser from a deep cross from the impressive Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
And the Hammers thought they had snatched a last-gasp winner when Paqueta tapped in from close range, but Tomas Soucek had been offside in the build-up.
Potter told BBC Sport: "I think the performance deserved maybe more, certainly second half.
"Really pleasing performance, we take a point, but it was one to be positive about.
"It's a process of working day to day trying to improve, how we train, how we act, looking at the balance of the team.
"The players have been fantastic in terms of their application and what they're trying to do.
"The squad looks ready to fight, looks ready to play, ready to help.
"Every day you learn and find out more about the players, we have to keep going, we're at the start but a nice step forward.
"It's still early days, we've got a few players to come back which is positive for us.
"The foundation of the group is one that wants to work, wants to improve, take on the messages we try and give and we have to keep going."
Potter also called on Paqueta to "understand the responsibility" of being his side's star player after his man-of-the-match display in a false nine position at Villa Park.
And with West Ham's current dearth of striking options, their attacking hopes are falling on the Brazilian's shoulders.
"It looks like he's enjoying his football," added Potter, who returns to former club Chelsea on Monday (8pm).
"That's the main thing for me with Lucas, to enjoy his football, to understand the responsibility that comes with someone of his quality and his importance for the team.
"It was hard for him to play three games in a week and the effort that he puts in to sustain that.
"So, it probably was a reflection of where he was at Crystal Palace but everything else has been a really, really high level.
"He's an attacking player that can produce actions that are of a really high level, so we just need to get him enjoying his football."
Paqueta did seem to end the match at Villa Park with an injury after pulling up and holding his groin.
Potter added: "I'm hoping it's fatigue. I think too early for me to say, I don't know. We'll wait to see the next 24-48 hours."
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