Jack Collison admits the players are hoping to remain unbeaten for the rest of the season as they make a final push for a top-ten finish.
The 24-year-old came close to scoring the winner at Anfield on Sunday but saw his header cleared off the line by Lucas Leiva, leaving the Hammers having to settle for a point to add to their 3-1 home win over West Brom the week before.
And now the Welsh midfielder insists the side are confident they can go on a run that will secure their top-flight status and eventually reward them with a top-ten finish.
He told whufc.com: “It’s a massive boost with seven games to go. We want to go on a little run now and try and stay unbeaten from now until the end of the season. If we can’t do that, we want to get as many points as we can.
“We want a strong finish to really send out a statement to everyone, prove that we’re here and that we’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.
“A top-half finish is very possible. If we concentrate on ourselves, take each game as it comes and get some more points on the board then we can do it. That’s what we’re aiming for as a team – we’re not looking behind us, we’re looking to push on rather than stay still.”
And Collison, who could make his 100th first team appearance for the Hammers on Saturday against Southampton, believes many of the players in the squad want to get revenge at St. Mary’s after the Saints pipped them to automatic promotion last season.
“They’re playing well, but we feel as a team and as a club that we’ve got a little point to prove there,” he continued.
“Maybe there’s going to be a little more on that game than people may think because we were disappointed not to go up automatically last year.
“A lot of the boys are still here and that still stays with them. We’re going to go there and look to get the three points.”
