csconstantine.com

NEIL RICHARDS STATS European Football Writer=

LONDON (SE) - West Ham United have all the incentive they could ever want to beat Birmingham City at Upton Park on Sunday.

Victory would lift the Hammers above the Blues and out of the relegation zone \2013 and would exact some measure of revenge on their Midlands rivals for the League Cup semi-final defeat last week.

West Ham were just 11 minutes away from a place in their first Wembley final since 1981 before Birmingham hit back to level the tie on aggregate and then won it with an extra-time goal from Craig Gardner.

And let’s not forget that West Ham co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold used to occupy the same positions at St Andrew’s before selling up to Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung, with whom they have had a less than amicable relationship.

All those factors, however, are mere sideshows compared to the all-consuming quest for Premier League survival \2013 something that West Ham feel is well within their reach following Wednesday night’s 3-1 win at Blackpool.

Robbie Keane, who was snapped up on loan from Tottenham on transfer deadline day, marked his debut with a goal and Victor Obinna scored twice to follow-up his hat-trick against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup at the weekend.

West Ham are looking to become only the second team since the Premier League was formed in 1992 to avoid being relegated after being bottom of the table at Christmas.

“It would be a massive achievement for us,” captain Scott Parker told West Ham TV. “I think we’re good enough to stay in this league but we need to prove that and win games.

“It would be massive for everyone in there because it has been difficult at times this year, on and off the field. Sometimes it’s not been easy.

“We’ve made things difficult ourselves but all we can do is stay together and try to win football matches.

“We’d defy history if we could stay up so it would be great.”

The league table would make for even grimmer reading for Birmingham had they not battled back from two goals down to snatch a point when these two teams met in November.

“We know they’re a great side, they’ve got quality players who maybe have not been playing to their maximum so far,” first-team coach Peter Grant told Sky Sports News. “They’ve added to that with the likes of Robbie Keane who I had the joy to work with up at Celtic, so they’ve got top, top quality players and we’re going to have to be at our best to get a result, that’s for sure.”

Birmingham twice fought back from a goal down to earn a valuable point with a 2-2 draw with Manchester City on Wednesday, but they have won only once in their last nine league games.

Alex McLeish’s side are still waiting for a visa for their new signing, Obafemi Martins, the Nigeria striker who has joined on loan from Russian Premier League side Rubin Kazan until the end of the season.

“We want him back as soon as possible,” McLeish said. “We will try and get him back for the West Ham game and will take it to the wire.

“If he is back on Saturday, we will include him in the squad. We just need to get the red tape sorted.”

Striker Cameron Jerome and midfielder Barry Ferguson are both doubtful for Blues with ankle injuries. Roger Johnson will have a late fitness test on a calf problem and Curtis Davies is standing by to make his debut should the central defender be ruled out.

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