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There was a time when, following on from midweek European adventures, we stumbled in the Premiership game on the weekend. However, our last home game against Southampton proved we are made of stronger stuff now. However, this time we have been on the road - so it is to be hoped that tiredness doesn't set in.
We certainly can't afford any kind of slip-up. Having won our last four in the Premiership, even a repeat of last season's 0-0 would be deemed a favour - especially with Ipswich and Liverpool maintaining the pace and Chelsea right on our tails.
West Ham aren't exactly desperate for the three points, although technically they could do with one more win to make themselves 100% safe: unbelievable for a team that loked to be challenging for a European place at the mid-point of the season.
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Our popular AWAY FANS feature returns for Saturday's game - with a chat to Joanne of 'West Ham Online'.
*Site: West Ham Online
*URL: www.westhamonline.com
* Do you think you're having a good season?
Terrible. To go from expecting a European place to fearing relegation is a nightmare. It's hard to see who to blame except Harry and the board - selling Rio certainly didn't help matters! On paper we have a squad that should be challenging for a top 4th or 5th place I dunno what's got wrong this season...
* Who do you think is your best player(s) ?
Stuart Pearce is expected to be Hammer of The Year in this terrible season, with Winterburn second. Only goes to show that Carrick, Lampard, Kanoute and Cole have failed to live up to expectations. Di Canio is still brilliant, but not as amazing as he was last season. In our last home game vs.Derby (2-1 and we finally won a home game) Cole and Lampard really showed that they are world class players - so watch out!
* Your worst player(s) ?
Well Shaka doesn't seem as good as he once was, seems like a lack of confidence after playing with our ever changing back 3/4.
*Your players to watch (youngsters or underrated players) ?
Jermaine Defoe on loan at Bournemout should break through next season. He scored in 10 consecutive league matches and looks like a very promising youngster. We've still to see the best from Cole and Kanoute. They've got such promise, it's bound to start winning us matches soon...
*Your preferred formation and line-up for Saturday's game?
Harry was a die-hard 3-5-2 man, but it's taken him nearly a whole season to see it wasn't working. He now plays a strange 4-4-2 with no real wingers.
If everyone's fit it may well be -
Shaka
Song Stimac I.Pearce Winterburn (I think S.Pearce is suspended)
Moncur and Carrick as sitting midfielders
Lampard in the middle with licence to get forward
Di Canio and Cole covering on the wings (but try telling them that...)
Kanoute up front.
*Your best chant ?
There's talk of a "Harry Out" protest, but I doubt it will materialise.
Er... Last year it was "F**ked in the showers, you're getting f**ked in the showers". and I expect there'll be a few more chants aimed at Bowyer and Woodgate.
"Your gonna play for the Brixton
Play for the Brixton
your gonna play for the Brixton.."
Plus "You're going down, you're going down, you're going, Bowyers going down..."
[LUW Webmaster's note: Original stuff eh? Bet Lee's never heard these before ;-)]
Which will no doubt get sung back at us...
[Too right, it will ;-)]
*How do you rate Leeds?
Well obviously you're a class act, but I'm afaraid I don't like your team much! :) You snatched Rio from us, made him captain, an England regurlar and even got him to score goals! And now the rumour is you're going to take Lampard away from us. Boo Hiss!!!
*Prediction for Saturday and West Ham scorers (if applicable)?
2-2, I think a draw's the best we can hope for at present.
RIO FERDINAND returned to West Ham and bagged the second goal in United's 2-0 win at Upton Park with Robbie Keane to fire Leeds ahead early on and with David Batty being sent off in the second half.
Britain's record signing kept up his remarkable recent scoring record - his third goal in five games - but more importantly kept Leeds on course in the race for a top three finish and a place in the Champions League.
A game that was never over physical produced seven bookings and a red card for Batty, who was dismissed after clashing with England U-21 international Joe Cole.
Leeds keeper Nigel Martyn also made several crucial saves in the second half as David O'Leary's side chalked up their ninth away win of the season.
With Alan Smith suspended following his red card at Sunderland two weeks ago, Robbie Keane was brought back, but the big shock was the absence of Mark Viduka with a back injury - Harry Kewell was switched into attack.
Norwegian international Eirik Bakke took his place alongside David Batty and Olivier Dacourt in the heart of the Leeds midfield. Gary Kelly recovered from an ankle injury to take his place on the bench.
Rio Ferdinand got a tremendous reception on his first return to Upton Park following his £18million move to Leeds last November, and he was soon in action snuffing out an early advanced run from his former team-mate Frank Lampard.
An early clash between Paolo Di Canio and Danny Mills brought both players a lecture from referee Graham Poll, but it was Leeds who responded by taking the lead on seven minutes.
Intricate build up play involving Lee Bowyer and Ian Harte ended with Harry Kewell in space on the left. The Aussie delivered a pinpoint cross to their far post for Harte, who had continued his run, to head downwards. Hammers keeper Shaka Hislop saved but couldn't hold onto the ball and Robbie Keane was there to drive the ball home from close range.
West Ham suffered a double blow when they lost striker Frederic Kanoute on ten minutes, but they almost fashioned an equaliser moments later, Di Canio pulling back for Joe Cole to head goalwards where Ferdinand cleared.
A surging run by Eirik Bakke should have brought greater rewards, his pull back to Kewell was perfect, but the Leeds star wasted the chance spooning his 12 yard shot over the bar.
United perfect start was almost needlessly undone when Mills brought down Di Canio again and appeared to kick out at the Italian, and there was relief in the Leeds camp when Graham Poll showed the United defender a yellow card, when it could easily have been red.
Lampard shot over from a quickly taken corner routine, while Ian Harte's 20 yard free-kick for flashed wide for United.
Bowyer was then denied a shooting chance and from the resulting corner an almighty scramble inside the area gave Leeds four chances to score after Hislop had pushed Harte's cross onto the bar, but somehow the Hammers kept the ball out.
West Ham lost injured midfielder John Moncur before the break and Leeds should have made them suffer further misery, Robbie Keane firing over from just inside the area following good work by Kewell, and then seeing another effort saved by Hislop.
Cole wasted a similar chance for the Hammers seconds right at the end of the first half, but two minutes after the interval former West Ham favourite Rio Ferdinand made it a homecoming to remember when he ghosted in at the far post to loop a header over Hislop to extend Leeds' lead.
But United were then rocked two minutes later when David Batty went in with an elbow on Cole and after being shoved to the ground by the West Ham starlet, was promptly shown the red card. Cole himself was booked.
Down to ten men Leeds regrouped, but further booking for Foxe and Dacourt has the game on the point of boiling over.
Carrick had a blistering drive brilliantly tipped over by Nigel Martyn and then again from Diawara's ambitious overhead kick, but despite their numerical disadvantage, Leeds broke fast on numerous occasions to stretch the home side.
United's England keeper made another superb stop to deny Igor Stimac, who looked to have reduced the deficit with a firm header from a corner and then watched anxiously as Lampard's shot was deflected inches past the post.
Ian Harte's 25 yard free-kick was deflected over the bar, but Martyn was back in action with another inspired save to deny Diawara, diving full length to tip the ball round the post.
Back came Leeds, and when Olivier Dacourt's clever looped ball put Lee Bowyer clear, the Leeds midfielder was initially denied by Hislop but got enough on the rebound to send the ball goalwards, only to see Foxe clear off the line.
That was the Hammers last real chance as United's ten men held firm to keep their Premiership surge on course.
