West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola reckons star striker Carlton Cole has been holding a goal back for the end-of-season run in as the Hammers (4/1 for the drop) look to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
Zola’s men have struggled over the course of the campaign which came as a shock following their top-half-of-the-table finish last time around.
The east Londoners, however, could be safe on Saturday night if they manage to beat inconsistent Wigan at Upton Park (West Ham 4/5, draw 12/5, Wigan 16/5) and Sunderland roll over Hull at the KC Stadium (Hull 6/5, draw 9/4, Sunderland 21/10).
Three points would move the Hammers six points clear of the 18th-placed Tigers with two games to play, with their vastly superior goal difference highly likely to be enough to guarantee their top-flight status.
But Zola is honest enough to admit he is relying on an out-of-form striker to get his side out of the mire in the shape of seven-cap England forward Cole, a former team-mate from his days at Chelsea.
The Italian said: “Carlton hasn’t scored for a while but he’s keeping an important one back for us, possibly a winner.
“I’m relying on that. He hasn’t scored many goals but he is an important player for us. As I said, I know he is keeping something good for us.”
In fact, Cole (6/5 Anytime Goalscorer) has not hit the back of the net for nine Premier League games and was virtually anonymous, along with most of the West Ham side, during Monday night’s limp 3-0 defeat at fellow under-achievers Liverpool.
But Zola hopes good things can come from the loss following clear-the-air talks with the players.
He added: “It’s a massive game for us and we also know the last game wasn’t very good. You say certain things in the changing room and it is important because it means the players are committed.
“They are determined to bounce back. I am confident we will see a reaction. We have had so many problems this year and we are determined to give those problems a kick and this is an incredible opportunity to do that.”
Wigan are all but safe; they go into the weekend seven points above the drop zone with three games to go following last Sunday’s 3-2 come-from-behind win over Arsenal at the DW Stadium.
But Latics manager Roberto Martinez does not want to leave any margin from error at the end of a roller-coaster first season in charge following last summer’s move from Championship side Swansea.
The Spaniard said: “I’ve heard a lot of people say we are safe, but I don’t believe that.
“Mathematically we’re not safe, so we need to make sure we achieve that first and foremost, and I feel the players are focused, more concentrated right now than ever this season.
“We can allow ourselves to treat this game as a cup final because the reality is if we beat West Ham we’ve achieved our aim for this season, which is staying in the Premier League, and it doesn’t come any bigger than that.”
Martinez added: “It’s important we don’t follow up what was a fantastic win over Arsenal with a bad result against West Ham.”
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