Kudus on the case
On the case Mohammed Mohammed Kudus has told the squad to dig deep as a result when they take on Burnley after defeat in the Europa League.
The late Michael Gregoritsch winner for the hosts gave the Bundesliga outfit the slightest of advantages ahead of the London Stadium return next week.
But the match against the Clarets is now very much on Kudus’ mind as the Hammers look to extend their winning Premier League run to three.
The Hammers are in the hunt to qualify for a fourth successive season of European football, with recent victories over Brentford and Everton bringing a six-game winless run to an end .
Burnley meanwhile are eleven points adrift of safety in 19th, but will look for a first win of 2024 that they hope can inspire a route out of trouble.
Kudus said: “It was a very difficult game against Freiburg, and we’re all disappointed with the result.
“They scored a late goal to win it, in what was a very tight match. We had more energy after half-time and we went out to win, but we weren’t able to find that moment of magic.
“I think we can do better defensively, and as well we need to play more, be better on the ball and create more chances. We know what we need to improve and we’ll be ready to go again back at home against Burnley.
“We’re hopeful of being much better in the next game, and then it’s back to the Europa League where there’s still everything to play for. We believe we have what it takes to get the job done.”