West Ham United travel to Liverpool on Saturday looking to keep their good form going. After a 0-0 draw with AFC Bournemouth, Nuno Espirito Santo’s team can be outside of the bottom three at full-time, should they find a way to win on Anfield.
Liverpool did West Ham a favour last week by beating Nottingham Forest, who are the team that sit two points above the Irons. Nuno’s team have only conceded one goal in their last four games, with the employment of Paco Jemez helping to improve the Hammers. A win against Champions League chasing-Liverpool, would be a big statement in the survival fight.
Nuno’s thoughts
An update on Pablo Filipe: “He didn’t join us yet as he’s starting his own programme, so he’s improving day by day. It all depends on him, so hopefully soon because we miss him.”
On West Ham’s recent form: “Unfortunately, some results are not coming, which we need. But in terms of performance, they are improving in different aspects and getting a clean sheet always motivates us.”
“We cannot spend too much time and sorrow thinking what could be, we have to react and bounce back.”
“It’s a big challenge and it can bring the best out of us. That’s the main motivation. We have to keep chasing, and it’s going to be a fight. Being a chaser is the reality. It’s been that way for a while, but we’re in the fight.”
On clean sheets and the improving defensive performances: “When we speak about our defensive organisation it comes from all the team, not only the back line. It comes from our striker, the way we organise, the way we intend to press. I think we are growing in that aspect of the game, which improves our defensive organisation. But I think players have been knowing each other better, realising that it is a team effort to achieve a clean sheet in the Premier League.”
On West Ham trying to buck the trend and not concede a late goal against Liverpool: “Minute one is important, and then you have to play the game action after action. What I ask is for total focus during the game… We are trying to correct conceding late goals, because it has impacted us. We’re improving, but we will go into the match thinking of minute one not the end of the game.”
On what has changed since Liverpool beat West Ham 2-0 in November: “We know that we played at home against Liverpool now it’s at Anfield. We know how tough it’ll be. So new things, I always think that the game is new things happening require new questions, new answers, new challenge, but we are ready to play the game… The boys work hard and well, we still have tomorrow, but the atmosphere is good, so we are confident realising how tough it is going to be, but we want to challenge it.”
