West Ham United will look to make it a perfect month when they face Southampton at Upton Park on Saturday.
February was billed as a season defining month and with three wins out of three so far the Hammers are starting to pull away from the relegation zone.
A fourth win could see the Irons pull seven points clear of the relegation zone with teams around the bottom facing tricky games.
With morale high and the team fresh following a warm weather training camp in Dubai last week the Hammers will look to make it four wins in a row for the first time since Alan Curbishley’s great escape season in 2007.
The buzzword around the club at the minute is now top ten rather than survival, and whilst Sam Allardyce was quick to tell press the hard work is not finished yet, he will know a win on Saturday will close the gap to just eight points on their visitors on Saturday, Southampton, who currently lie in eighth place.
Allardyce must once again choose between Marco Borriello and Carlton Cole for the starting berth up front, as Andy Carroll serves the last of his three match ban, whilst it widely expected the West Ham team will be unchanged Allardyce might feel he should throw a surprise in to keep Southampton on their toes.
One thing that is for certain though, Allardyce, who prides himself on keeping his teams well drilled and hard to break down, will want to equal the clubs record of five clean sheets on the spin, a record spans back to 1985.
In his pre-match presser he told gathering journalist, that keeping clean sheets was never the issue, it was just scoring goals at the other end that held the Hammers back.
He said: “Our problem prior to that [picking up injuries in December and January] was scoring goals to win matches, to get more points and now the squad is bigger, better and fitter, we’re putting both ends together. We’re keeping clean sheets, scoring goals and I think that’s been a huge turnaround for the whole squad, the team and the Club at this stage.”
Allardyce will be wary of Southampton’s recent away form, and will know they won’t be a pushover, at the start of the month, every West Ham fan knew this would be the trickiest fixture of the month.
Unbeaten in three league away games and sitting pretty in eighth place Mauricio Pochettino continues to do a fine job down on the South Coast. His side is hard to break down and has flair players in Adam Lallana and Jay Rodriguez who will cause the Hammers problems.
Much like West Ham, Southampton’s squad has a strong English core, with Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert key to their sides success, keeping them quiet could be the key to how this game pans out.
Interestingly this game will be the first Southampton game Mark Clattenburg has refereed since he said that Adam Lallana was different player.
After a game he refereed against Everton Clattenburg said this regarding Lallana, “You are very different now, since you’ve played for England – you never used to be like this.”
But Southampton manager Pochettino has rubbished claims that the Saints are angry that he has been allowed to referee the contest.
He said: “It doesn’t worry me. I haven’t spoken to him since but that is why I’m happy to see him on Saturday. I’m happy to say hello to him and I will try to help him as much as I can from the sidelines.”
Both sides go into this game with form behind them, and a win for the Hammers would see them stretch further clear of the relegation zone, whilst a win for the Saints would see them close the gap on seventh.
Team News:
West Ham:
Andy Carroll completes the final game of his three-match suspension against the Saints following his red card against Swansea City.
Joey O’Brien also misses out as he continues his recovery from a dislocated shoulder sustained against Chelsea.
Southampton:
Saints defender Jos Hooiveld misses the match at the Boleyn Ground with an eye injury.
Dejan Lovren and Gaston Ramirez may return to the squad after they both suffered injuries in their league fixture with Sunderland.
Previous meetings:
15 September 2013 – Southampton 0-0 West Ham United
13 April 2013 – Southampton 1-1 West Ham United
20 October 2012 – West Ham United 4-1 Southampton
14 February 2012 – West Ham United 1-1 Southampton (Championship)
18 October 2011 – Southampton 1-0 West Ham United (Championship)
5 April 2003 – Southampton 1-1 West Ham United
Last five:
West Ham United (league only)
West Ham United 1-3 Newcastle
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham United
West Ham United 2-0 Swansea city
Aston Villa 0-2 West Ham United
West Ham United 2-0 Norwich City
Southampton:
Sunderland 2-2 Southampton
Southampton 2-2 Arsenal
Fulham 0-3 Southampton
Southampton 2-2 Stoke City
Hull City 0-1 Southampton
Travel news:
There is a good service on all lines en route to Upton Park (Hoorah). For first time visitors- from Waterloo take the Jubilee line towards Stratford, the depart the train at West Ham, and take the district line train towards Upminster for two stops to Upton Park. From Kings Cross St Pancras, take the Hammersmith and City line train right the way through to Upton Park, it take a while, but least you’ll be warm.
Where to drink Saints fans: Black Lion in Plaistow is an away friendly pub, exit the tube at Plaistow head southeast down Plaistow road the pub will be on your right hand side after a two minute walk. You will walk past the Victorian Tavern on the way, do not go in the pub keep walking. Alternatively you can get off at Upton Park, turn left and walk to the Duke of Edinburgh pub.
Bowdenwhu Predicts: West Ham United 1-1 Southampton.
Tweet me @Bowdenwhu
Come on you Irons!
Thought Borriello has hamstring injury and out for 2 weeks and Carlton has a bad back.