‘Europa Final so hard to watch’

DAVID MOYES admits he found it tough to sit through last week’s Europa League Final.

But the West Ham boss insists the sight of Eintracht Frankfurt lifting the trophy will only fire up his side’s bid today to secure their place in the competition for a second successive season.

The Hammers fell at the final hurdle in their bid to be part of the showdown in Seville.

Their semi-final exit at the hands of the eventual winners meant they missed out on the chance to battle it out with Rangers for Euro glory.

Moyes said: “I watched it, the players watched it. I think maybe it’s a good thing.

“Maybe it will give us more hunger and drive. We feel as if we could have – and I’m not sure I should use the words ‘should have’ – but could have been there.

“Sometimes those painful moments of disappointment can push you a lot.

“I’ve got to say I sat there and found it a difficult watch. Not because of the game, but because of our personal involvement before it.” The

Hammers must beat Brighton – in a match that marks the end of midfielder Mark Noble’s playing career – and hope Manchester United slip up at Crystal Palace, if they are to repeat last season’s sixth-place finish.

Fall short and they are guaranteed seventh spot and a return to Europe via the Europa Conference League.

Moyes (above) is clear his side have unfinished business in the Europa League. But he refuses to be dismissive of European football’s third competition.

And he is adamant securing back-to-back continental adventures would be a significant mark of progress for the East End club.

The manager added: “If we get it, we will see a lot of people really happy and excited again. We think we can challenge for it again.

“But if we get the Conference League, then we’ll try to do that. That will bring different things.

“But the big picture is for West Ham to get European football two years in a row, in the Premier League, trying to break into the top six.

“I’ve known from my years at Everton how that is really, really difficult. It’s not an easy ask and we’ve done a pretty good job.”

Winger Said Benrahma should return to West Ham’s squad, but centreback Issa Diop is out.