Source: Daily_Mail
West Ham can beat fatigue and defeat Everton, says Avram Grant
Avram Grant is confident the emotional high of West Ham's win over Fulham will trump any physical advantage Everton may have in Tuesday's Barclays Premier League clash at Upton Park.[LNB]Hammers boss Grant accepts the visitors will be 'more fresh' than his side after their game against Birmingham on Boxing Day was postponed due to the frozen and burst pipes at Goodison Park.[LNB]But West Ham go into Tuesday's match in east London having hauled themselves off the foot of the table courtesy of a 3-1 Boxing Day success at fellow strugglers Fulham.[LNB] Happy Hammers: West Ham are full of confidence after beating fellow strugglers Fulham on Boxing Day[LNB]There was also the added boost of it being their first league victory away from home since the opening day of last season - 28 matches earlier - as well as the fact it was achieved after they fell behind.[LNB]'Sometimes, when you win, it's also better than good training, so there's a psychological side,' said Grant, who nevertheless admitted he would rather Everton had played on Boxing Day.[LNB]'I would have preferred that they had played and we had come with an equal situation. Maybe we can use the psychological side and continue with winning. [LNB]'We have the character also to play two games in three days.'[LNB]In it together: Grant believes West Ham can beat the drop[LNB]Grant, who was reportedly going to be sacked if he failed to record a win over the festive period, added: 'I can assure you that nobody that will play Tuesday will be tired.'[LNB]Finding 18 fit players could be the biggest problem for the Hammers, who were without 10 first teamers at Craven Cottage on Sunday.[LNB]Valon Behrami, Victor Obinna, Pablo Barrera, Mark Noble, Kieron Dyer and Benni McCarthy played no part against Fulham, while Luis Boa Morte was suspended.[LNB]Boa Morte will return on Tuesday and there will be several fitness tests ahead of the game, in which Grant will definitely remain without Jack Collison, Manuel Da Costa and Thomas Hitzlsperger.[LNB]'We need to wait and see who from the players who were a little bit injured can play Tuesday,' Grant said, revealing he was forced to put loan star Obinna on the bench at Fulham.[LNB]'Obinna didn't train in the last three weeks. Because of the situation, we didn't have any players. I'm happy that we didn't need to use him. We will see about Tuesday.'[LNB]Grant knows the fragile confidence gained from yesterday's result could be shattered by a resurgent Everton, who won at Manchester City in their last outing.[LNB]'Everton is a very good team, with very good players,' said Grant. 'They played fantastic in the last game against Man City.'[LNB]If West Ham are going to survive, they will need to learn how to put together back-to-back league wins, something they have not managed since Grant took charge.[LNB]'We spoke about this a lot of times, how to do this,' said the former Chelsea boss, who revealed he had targeted two victories from the club's three festive fixtures against Fulham, Everton and new basement side Wolves.[LNB] One to watch: Grant is mindful of the threat Everton's Tim Cahill poses on Tuesday night[LNB]The latter game on New Year's Day is arguably more crucial than Tuesday's match, with it being against another team fighting against relegation.[LNB]Both that and the Everton game are at Upton Park, where the Hammers have won two of their last three in all competitions.[LNB]Grant said: 'We played against Man United; we won against them in the Carling Cup; we won against Wigan; we lost against Manchester City. We are better at home than before.'[LNB] West Ham make it a Villa double with Luke Young ready to follow SidwellWEST HAM v Everton: Avram Grant to leave it late as host of Hammers face fitness raceJamie Redknapp's Boxing Day Watch: Carlton Cole needs to show faith in himselfWEST HAM UNITED FC
