IRONS IN THE MIRE

Skipper Noble insists Hammers can avoid the drop but only if they stop losing points from winning positions

BY DAVID MADDOCK @Maddockmirror

MARK NOBLE is adamant West Ham’s beleaguered players know what is required to avoid relegation.

And the Hammers skipper says they must start by showing the mental strength to cling on to leads after fighting their way to winning positions.

“We’ve been in the lead so much this season and, if we’d managed to stay in the lead in the games we’ve led in, we’d be fourth or fifth in the league,” he said.

The Irons have made it 22 points lost from winning positions this season. They showed their fighting qualities with an impressive display against Liverpool, but again threw it away after taking a 2-1 lead.

No one expected such a defiant display, but Noble (right) said: “The players know what they have to do. The team have lost more points than anyone else from winning positions.

“It’s a tough one to take, even though Liverpool are a great side and are world and European champions and soon to be English champions.

“The boys thought that there are bigger games to come. We had nothing to lose, no one expected us to go to Anfield and win or even get a point.

“We looked like we had a right go after the defeat at Manchester City, where we didn’t even take part in the game, and if anyone watched this, they could say it is not a team that is going to roll over. It is one of those where you can come in pretty proud of the performance.”

They were undone by two howlers from keeper Lukasz Fabianski

(above, left), the second saw

Mo Salah’s shot squirming through his arms and legs to trickle over the line and give Liverpool their platform for a comeback victory.

But Noble refused to point the finger, saying the team must now be all in it together.

“This season individual errors have cost us a lot of points. Everyone makes mistakes, it’s football. Lukasz came in and said sorry, but I don’t like it, I don’t want him to do that because he’s saved us so many times.

“You have to take the positives out of it, I thought the lads played really well and it is just a pity.”