Striker Alessandro Diamanti has urged disgruntled West Ham United fans to keep faith in Gianfranco Zola's side ahead of an important period in the season.
- Bolton 3 West Ham 1 Match Report
The 19th-placed Hammers slipped to a third successive Premier League defeat at fellow strugglers Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday and the pressure is beginning to mount on Zola.
But speaking ahead of Sunday's home clash with local rivals Chelsea - and the hectic festive period - Diamanti has called for patience from the Upton Park faithful.
'We are in a difficult situation at the moment but we always need to stay positive,' he told the club's official website.
'It would be good to beat Chelsea. Straight after the Bolton game we were already concentrating on this to try and get a result against them.
'It is vital that the fans keep supporting us in this difficult moment. They have been fantastic in the last two games.
'They came to the Bolton game in numbers and they have been fantastic for us lately.
'We need to get back to working as hard as we can and even harder after if possible as we need to put things right.'
Source: DSG
