West Ham have promised to find those responsible and ban them from the London Stadium, and Pellegrini backed the club's stance.

"Of course I think that cannot happen in the stadium," said Pellegrini. "The best way to manage those things out of the game is to remove them from the great spectacle that is the Premier League.

"We must have high standards and when this happen, you must take action. The club knows how to work and says it cannot accept these kind of things in the game.

"It was a very good game and everybody was enjoying the game, so these people must be punished as soon as we can."

West Ham face Crystal Palace on Saturday looking to build on their encouraging performance in the 1-1 draw against the then league leaders.

Marko Arnautovic is fit after missing that match with a foot injury, but Jack Wilshere will be absent again.

The former Arsenal midfielder has been hampered by ankle problems all season and Pellegrini has cast doubt over whether he will be fit before the end of the campaign.

"Jack will finish his six-to-eight weeks (rest) after his ankle surgery next week," he added. "He will return to different work and we will see how he is.

"Andriy Yarmolenko, Winston Reid and Carlos Sanchez will not be back this season. Jack Wilshere, I have some doubts if he will be ready."

Better news is the imminent return of Manuel Lanzini, who suffered a serious knee injury training with Argentina before the World Cup.

The midfielder is back in light training and Pellegrini hopes to have him available to face Fulham on February 22.

"We hope that Manu Lanzini will be ready for Fulham, at least for the bench, if he continues working over the next two weeks," said Pellegrini.

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