Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed that it is his ambition to lead West Ham to a top-six finish this season.
The Hammers have won their last four Premier League matches and have the opportunity to win five on the bounce for the first time since 2006 with a win over Watford on Saturday.
Their current form has seen the Irons rise to ninth in the table, just two points behind sixth placed Manchester United.
Speaking in a press conference on Thursday, as quoted by the BBC (14.03), the Chilean manager said:”The most important thing is to be in the top six at the end of the season.
“There are still 21 games to go. We are in a good moment now so we must try to take it game by game and add points.”
OPINION
This time a month ago, if Manuel Pellegrini had come out and openly said that he wanted West Ham to finish in sixth, ahead of the likes of Manchester United, Everton, and Wolves, he would almost certainly have been laughed at and his sanity might have been called into question. His Hammers side have been so impressive in recent weeks, however, that it doesn’t look particularly unreasonable anymore, and if form and momentum are to be taken into account, there might even be an argument that they are the most likely side to reach that position and stay there. An eye-catching summer transfer window was followed by a wholly disappointing start to the campaign, and fans must have been thinking that it was a case of same old same old. But now, with an identity being built and a squad of top quality players being assembled, the Irons are beginning to look like a real force again. It’s been a long time coming, but maybe West Ham are back.