West Ham United secured their 10th victory of the 2018-19 English Premier League campaign with a 3-1 win over Fulham last night.
The Hammers are now ninth in the table after 27 games, but much more was expected from manager Manuel Pellegrini and his men at the start of the campaign following a massive squad shake-up that saw the Chilean and nine players arrive during the summer.
A top-six finish is beyond their reach with 14 points between them and Chelsea, but finishing in seventh place is very much possible, with just four points between them and Watford who currently occupy the position.
Former West Ham boss Alan Pardew believes the team can finish as best of the rest given the quality of their squad, and he has tipped them to do just that.
“For them, you look at the squad and you think they can certainly make the top of the league in terms of their league because I think seventh place is possible for them,” Pardew told beIN SPORTS.
“They have certainly got the attribute and squad to do that.
“I think for West Ham at this particular time being best of the rest is a thing. Their ambitions are loftier than that. Whether that comes to fruition going forward I don’t know, certainly at this time and looking at that squad, they have got a great chance to finish seventh.”
Alan Pardew believes that @WestHamUtd could be "top of the league in terms of their league".
Are the #Hammers fighting to be the 'best of the rest'?#beINPL #WHUFUL pic.twitter.com/wbgfTCP4z5
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) February 22, 2019
Alongside the Hammers, the Hornets, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton, Bournemouth and Leicester City are all involved in the race to pip one another to the last Europa League spot, and it promises to be an exciting battle between them all.
The West Ham squad has enough quality to secure the position, but Pellegrini’s side has often struggled for consistency this term, and failure to get that right in the next 11 games could deal a huge blow on their chances.
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