Collins expects Hammers response

07 January 2015 13:31

Defender James Collins maintains West Ham must not let the disappointment of failing to see off Everton in the FA Cup at Goodison Park disrupt efforts to get their Barclays Premier League campaign back on track this weekend.

The Irons were moments away from the fourth round, having held on to Collins' goal at the start of the second half, before Romelu Lukaku smashed home a stoppage-time equaliser which means the two sides will now go head-to-head again in east London on January 13.

On Saturday, West Ham will travel to Swansea looking to finally end a four-match winless run which has seen Sam Allardyce's side slip down to seventh.

Collins is expecting a response against the Swans. He told the club's website: "Conceding is disappointing at any time, so to do it in injury-time in the FA Cup knowing we will have to play another game now is even more disappointing.

"But we played well at Everton, against West Bromwich Albion and also in the second half against Arsenal.

"We will go again at Swansea on Saturday and they have got a couple of lads out too. We are seventh in the league and still in the FA Cup, so it is all to play for."

Allardyce hopes to have striker Andy Carroll fit from a foot injury for the trip to south Wales and has been boosted by the news of Cameroon midfielder Alex Song's international retirement, so he will now be available rather than away at the African Nations Cup.

"We have got a difficult task now as we have only got a few days to recover for Swansea and then we will play again on Tuesday (in the FA Cup replay) with only a few days to recover for the next Premier League game (against Hull)," said the Hammers boss.

"It will be tough on the lads, especially with the shortage of the squad now.

"Hopefully Andy will be back by the weekend, but the lads have just got to dig in now and pick up more points, before hopefully beating Everton and getting through to the next round."

Senegal, meanwhile, have confirmed they do not now expect West Ham forward Diafra Sakho to link up with their squad for the African Nations Cup because of a back injury, and so the player is expected to stay in London for treatment.

Irons midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate, however, has travelled to the Senegal camp ahead of the tournament in Equatorial Guinea, which begins on January 17.

Source: PA