Leroy reckons Irons can prove Pardew wrong

Pards and Allardyce have both Newcastle and the Irons pressure in common as they head into tomorrow’s lunchtime clash at the Boleyn.

Pardew said: “Sometimes it’s difficult when you’ve got a glass ceiling above you to try to break through to the top four or five clubs.

“That period underneath becomes a bit frustrating for fans, particularly if you are out of the cups.

“Fans want to win something as well and I think this is probably an important game for West Ham to try to stay with that little pack.”

Leroy believes, however, that the Hammers are already a top six club but that they simply aren’t believing it which is why they are drawing matches they should win.

He said: “It’s up to Sam to convince them of that and more than capable of competing among the top six. They have enough to upset any of them.

“Tomorrow’game won’t be easy, none are but the Hammers need to start winning and gaining that self belief. What they musn’t do is to back off when they are leading…we have seen that can be fatal.”