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Moyes lays down trophy gauntlet

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David Moyes has laid down the Europa Conference League trophy gauntlet to West Ham.

The Hammers have qualified for the last-16 of the competition, by becoming the first team in the competition’s history to win all six of their group games.

The Irons did so in truly superb circumstances, too; they beat FCSB 3-1 and 3-0, Silkeborg 3-2 and 1-0, and Anderlecht 1-0 and 2-1.

They are now awaiting their fate from the draw, but the Hammers now have a rest when it comes to European football until next year.

Moyes, though, insists the Hammers haven’t won anything yet, despite coming through the group with flying colours, and has urged the Irons to keep their performance levels high if they want to finally end that ongoing trophy drought.

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace, the Irons boss said, as per the club’s official website: “From our point of view, we’re relatively new in Europe and we’ve had a great group stage two years in a row.

“It’s great credit to the boys doing that having not been in Europe that often.

“The truth is we don’t get a trophy for winning the group stage and we know we’re going to have to play well in the second half of the season to go further.”

The Irons play Palace this weekend, then face Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Cup and Leicester City in the league prior to the 2022 World Cup.

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A journalist with 10 years' experience of working on National newspapers, now chief reporter covering the club that I've loved since I was a boy. Upton Park remains the greatest football stadium ever built.