As the dust settles on West Ham United’s disappointing defeat to Everton many believe the Champions League dream is dead.
Do new additions to West Ham club shop hint at next season’s kits?
But being a West Ham fan it is the hope that kills you.
And West Ham can but hope that results in frantic week of Premier League action work in their favour to drag David Moyes’s side back into the mix.
West Ham will undoubtedly need to win their remaining three games to have any hope of fourth spot.
But if two or three results go for the Hammers this week then it could be very much back on.
Huge week for West Ham’s Champions League hopes and Man United hold the key
First up is a huge game for West Ham when Manchester United face Leicester at Old Trafford on Tuesday evening (6pm).
The Foxes look to be faltering while Man United are in a rich vein of form.
With three games in five days Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has admitted he could anger West Ham fans by playing a weakened side. Read the full story here.
But if Man United win it gives West Ham a huge boost.
While it may not have a direct influence on West Ham’s hopes, on Wednesday the Hammers might want a draw in the Chelsea vs Arsenal game.
Because that will keep Chelsea honest for next week’s big game against Leicester – more on that in a moment.
Thursday is huge for West Ham. Man United are in action – at home again – as they take on Liverpool in the controversially rearranged game.
Moyes has questioning the scheduling of the match (The Express). But West Ham will not be complaining if the Red Devils can somehow pull off another win for them.
If results go West Ham’s way and Moyes’s boys down Seagulls then it’s very much back on
On the same evening Aston Villa entertain Everton and West Ham will be wanting the Midlands side to win to halt a late Toffees charge.
Then Saturday comes. West Ham are away to Brighton at 8pm. The Seagulls are West Ham’s bogey side since their promotion to the Prem. West Ham have failed to beat them in seven attempts and have drawn the last four.
But Graham Potter’s side will be without influential captain Lewis Dunk as well as striker Neal Maupay through suspension. Key defender Joel Veltman is also injured and unlikely to play.
If the results mentioned go West Ham’s way and the Hammers win at Brighton then Moyes’s side will be just two points behind Leicester.
How Hammers could go into last game of the season sitting in fourth spot
Now back to that Chelsea Leicester game. The two Blues meet in the FA Cup final on Saturday. But they play in the league on Tuesday at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea may still need a result to secure top four themselves – especially if they fail to beat Arsenal. And another defeat for Leicester would suddenly put West Ham in the driving seat for that fourth spot.
Victory over already relegated West Brom a day later would see the Hammers move up to fourth going into the last game of the season.
And while Leicester face a tough game against a Tottenham side who will be trying to secure some form of European football, West Ham have a home game against a Southampton side with nothing to play for.
Of course there are lots of ‘ifs’ involved. And it all rests on the results from this week’s games – particularly at Old Trafford.
But football is all about hopes and dreams. Otherwise what’s the point.
Come. On. You. Irons.
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