Manuel Pellegrini will carry on fighting for the “European position ” – or seventh place – until it becomes an impossibility.
With such a first season string of European qualifications behind him there’s no surprise that he wants to see another big success on his personal CV apart from completing his major aim for the squad.
He clearly is in no mood to listen to this who are talking of the Hammers having their flip flops on as the campaign draw to its end.
And the second 45 minutes at Stamford Bridge demonstrated his claim from earlier this week that the team is perfectly capable of competing with any team in the League – but for 90 minutes not 45!
The weekend game at Old Trafford is about as tough as it could get at this stage of the season but provides the perfect chance for the team to show it does truly have what it takes as it goes in search of a famous double.
Speaking at his pre-match presser ahead of the game Pelle said: I always demand more from the players, from myself, and from everyone.
That’s why I think we must try to finish as high in the table as we can. But, if you ask me if this a good season for us, I think ten games before we finish the Premier League we’re not fighting against relegation, it’s not a bad season.
I think that we must demand, from all of us, more and try to reach even higher. I know it’s difficult but we must try and evolve in every game.
Getting into a European position was not a target of this season, but it was my target to demand that everyone has an ambitious mentality and try to reach it.
There’s so many things that have happened this season that maybe it was very difficult for us, but we still have a chance and if you have a mathematical chance you must try to fight.”