Pablo Fornals says West Ham’s players are relishing their shot at history, as they face an unprecedented run-in across the next seven weeks.
The Hammers squad have the chance to transform the club for years to come should they hit their stride over the remainder of the season.
David Moyes’s side moved back into the Premier League’s top six with a win over Everton on Sunday and are now gearing up for their first European quarter-final since 1981, with Lyon the visitors to the London Stadium on Thursday night.
Jarrod Bowen marked his comeback from injury with the winning goal after Mason Holgate had cancelled out Aaron Cresswell’s superb free-kick. The result has added to the sense that everything is coming together for West Ham as they look ahead to a tantalising run.
Fornals told Standard Sport: “As you can imagine, it is very exciting for the players and staff but also the people who support West Ham.
“We are going to try to go as far as we can in all competitions, because every one of us deserves it.
“It is unbelievable [to have a shot at history] and I am really happy and proud to be a part of this moment. It is massive for my career and I am really happy to be here.”
Bowen was a surprise inclusion in the starting XI, having missed almost a month with a mysterious heel injury sustained at Liverpool in early March.
But the 25-year-old looked lively from the start and was alert to guide the ball home from Jordan Pickford’s parry after Michail Antonio’s shot. Michael Keane’s red card ensured they could comfortably protect their lead.
West Ham had missed Bowen’s cutting edge and clinical touch in the final third, and his return will ensure everyone steps up over the final weeks of the season.
“[Bowen’s return] is massive for us,” said Fornals. “Not just for what he brings to the team but also he is encouraging everyone else to fight for a spot. That is very good for all of us because it is not going to be easy to get into the team. It is better for us.
“It is very good because we were playing the last two weeks before the last international break with one, maybe one and a half, players for each spot. That was a bit hard. Now we have Ryan [Fredericks], Vlad [Coufal] and Bowen all back.
“The other teams now know we have even more players in the team, it is going to be a good point.
“Since we started the season everyone can see how together we are and how important each one in the group is, it doesn’t matter how much you are playing, you have a chance to help the team and that is the main thing.”
While West Ham were not at their most fluent following the international break, it is now the part of the season when points matter over performances.
In that vein, West Ham are going well and simply refuse to go away in the race for the European spots. They sit sixth, three points off fourth-placed Tottenham, but are outsiders to finish in the Champion League spots.
It has been some time since West Ham ended a season with so much pressure on each and every game, but they are determined to enjoy it rather than be cowed by it.
“There was pressure on yesterday’s game,” said Moyes. “We’ve had a huge game yesterday, but in our mind we’ve got a huge game [on Thursday] as well and in between that we’ve got Premier League games which are really important to us.
“If you want to be a big club and challenge, you’ve got to be able to do it. Top players do it with their preparation, their recovery, how they sleep. Look at the top players now from Man City, Liverpool in big games all the time. Those players have to prepare.”
