West Ham boss demands focus in League Cup clash with Stoke City
West Ham United manager Avram Grant has called for his players to remain focused when they take on Stoke City in a League Cup clash on Wednesday, 27 October.
The Hammers are struggling in the English Premier League — they are bottom of the table with just six points from nine games, having won just one league match all season.
Grant will be hoping to put his difficulties in the league — where relegation is a distinct possibility for the club — aside for the time being as his side prepare to welcome the Potters to Upton Park.
He was keen to establish just how important the game was for his club but was keen to remind his players that a single mistake could be enough to see them being dumped out of the competition.
'Nice to have cup run'
Grant, who knows a few things about the importance of performing well in cup competitions ,having appeared at a FA Cup final with Portsmouth as well as League Cup and UEFA Champions League finals with
Chelsea, told his club’s official website that: "I can tell you that I was a few times at Wembley and even one time in Moscow (for the Champions League final). It is nice to have a cup run. It is one game and we need to focus.
"In the league, you can lose a game but you can recover in the next match. In the cup, if you make a mistake, you are out. We have to make the match all about us. We have bounced back before this season and
we will be working hard to do that once again."
To reach the fourth round of the competition, West Ham had to see off the challenge of Oxford United and EPL outfit Sunderland. Stoke, meanwhile, defeated Shrewsbury Town and EPL side Fulham to reach this
stage.
The sides have already met in the league this season, a game which ended in a 1-1 draw at the Britannia Stadium.
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