Bilic points to difficulty and danger

Slaven Bilic has warned that the away game against Sunderland on Saturday is a more difficult proposition than visiting Arsenal, Liverpool or Manchester City.

The manager believes the pressure is on the team saying: “It is a different game to other away games in terms of the size of the clubs.

“For West Ham, those games meant more because we hadn’t won at Liverpool for such a long time. It is a bigger story when you win away at Arsenal or Manchester City.

“This Saturday is a more difficult game because now everybody around us is expecting us to win this game, that can put us in a difficult situation where we are too relaxed, or are not aware enough.

“If that happens, then we are in trouble, but if we play like we did in the previous away games we have a massive chance to win.”

And on the threat from Dick Advocaat’s strugglers he told www.whufc.com: “Of course it’s not the last game of the season, so they don’t have to win each game but they are in the position where they are not happy with a draw, especially home games against us. Their objective is to win. They are a good team and they have some very good players.

“I am not expecting a normal game, they are either a very stable, aggressive team or stiff. They have some really good players.

“Jermain Defoe is still a top striker, his movement and pace is excellent so he is the main threat. But they also have Fabio Borini, Jeremain Lens, Yann M’Vila and other good players.”