Ahead of what has increasingly become an essential game against Leeds United at the London Stadium this evening, Hammers boss David Moyes shed a little light on his aspirations for this season, and the unusual scenario he and his team now face.
"Having spent much of last season road mapping the way out of relegation and being concerned with other teams at the bottom of the Barclays Premier League, this season is like a breath of fresh air, looking at what is happening and where your team are with regards to being near the top of the league is far more enjoyable. We have a great bunch of boys playing for us, they play for each other on the pitch and that has been reflected by the positive results we have achieved so far. We can get better, and it is my intention to see the club progress, we will have the odd set back, but all in all I couldn't be happier with my players and their performances, although as I have said before, I think we can get even better".
Of course Moyes also had to address the usual 'elephant in the room questions' regarding Declan Rice. "Do we need the Champions League to keep Declan? No, because Declan is under contract first and foremost, so he can't go anywhere no matter what. I keep saying it and I hope people know that when I say something, I mean it. We've not had an offer for Declan Rice and I hope we don't get one. And you've got an idea now of where we'd need to be if it was even going to be considered. If we could finish in some sort of European position, it would be progress. And that would be progress for Declan Rice as well because he's been at West Ham while they've been bobbing around the bottom, so this is new for Declan as well. Declan seems very settled and in fact he is captaining West Ham; he plays for England. I want to keep Declan thinking that his ambitions can be achieved here at West Ham, and I will have to keep pushing that and keep pushing that with the owners as well."
Having seen their rivals leap frog them in the table, West Ham will be desperate to continue their good form against Marco Biesla's Leeds tonight, ahead of the trip to Old Trafford at the weekend. There are question marks over the fitness of both Fabianski and Randoplh, it is to be hoped that 'Fab' will have recovered from the training ground injury he sustained just before the Manchester City game.
Jesse Lingard will be tasked with 'running his heart out' tonight, due to the fact that he will be unable to play against his 'disparate parent' club at the weekend. Michail Antonio's 'hammies' have had a decent nine day break but he will be used sparingly bearing in mind the impending ManU fixture.
A win tonight would put Hammers firmly back in to one of the Euro qualification spots, defeat would be disastrous, and with Leeds no one knows what can happen, a nil nil draw is inconceivable though. - Ed
