‘I Think We Are Back’ – West Ham Star Optimistic | OneFootball

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West Ham United left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf has insisted the Hammers are now back and the battle is now in their hands in the Premier League relegation fight.

The 21-year-old signed for West Ham last summer from Sparta Prague for a fee in the region of £22m, plus a further £5m in add-ons, putting pen to paper on a contract running until 2030.

It has been a challenging campaign for West Ham, who have spent large parts of the season hovering near the relegation zone and struggling for consistency.

However, after picking up four points from their last two matches, they have climbed out of the bottom three and now sit three points clear of the drop.

Despite the difficulties faced by the Hammers, Diouf has not been affected, enjoying an impressive debut season at the London Stadium, with the left-back registering five assists, the second-highest tally in the squad.

Diouf made it clear that the squad believe they have turned a corner after a difficult start to the season, stressing that their fate is now in their own hands if they can continue to deliver results.

He also underlined the mindset required for the run-in, with each game needing to be treated as decisive and approached one at a time to avoid being overwhelmed by the situation.

Diouf told West Ham’s official website: “We’ve come so far.

“It was really difficult at the beginning of the season, but I think we are back, so we have to keep that.

“The battle is in our hands now.

“We have that in our hands, so we have to keep that and try to make a good result every time.

“Now every game is a final, so we don’t have to think.

“We have to take it also game by game. I think it’s also important.”

Diouf’s consistent performances are likely to attract attention in the summer transfer window, especially if the Hammers are relegated, which could further affect the club’s situation, with Sparta Prague also holding a sell-on clause understood to be higher than usual.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side still have to face teams in the top half of the table such as Arsenal, Brentford and Everton, with the latter their next opponents at home on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Diouf’s team-mates also showed confidence in their survival chances, as Adama Traore said they would not surrender and Axel Disasi highlighted the fighting spirit within the squad.