It might seem, standing in sixth place and with only a slim hope of achieving European qualification via the top four, that West Ham United don’t have much to play for.
This is, however, untrue, due to a potentially complicated end-of-season situation that seems likely to eventuate. As West Ham prepare to face West Brom, a team with absolutely no reason not to be pre-booking their summer holidays – and yet, one who effectively ended Tottenham’s title chase this week – there is still real hope that European football will be gracing the Olympic Stadium next season.
Regardless of whether they finish fifth, sixth, or seventh, West Ham might earn entry into the Europa League – either straight into the group stage, or the qualifying stages – depending on a number of other teams’ results. It goes like this:
- Manchester City, having already won the League Cup, have earned entry into the Europa League as a result. But if they end the season in the top four – as is likely – their Europa League spot will go to the team in sixth place.
- Manchester United, if they beat Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final, will earn entry into the Europa League, but if they finish the season in their current league spot, fifth, then their cup-earned Europa League spot will go to the team in seventh place.
There are some other variables that can affect things. If City win the Champions League, and remain in the top four, fourth place still gets a Champions League spot. If City win the Champions League, and somehow slip to fifth in the league, then they will force the team in fourth out of the UCL and into the Europa League, with that team taking an existing Europa League spot. If City win the Champions League and Liverpool remain in seventh AND win the Europa League, then the fourth-placed league team will be forced into the Europa League, again taking an existing Europa League spot.
It’s all extremely confusing. But, essentially, a fifth place finish will earn a European place, and a sixth place likely does the same. Seventh earning qualification depends entirely on Manchester United beating Crystal Palace.
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West Ham can make all of this moot if they win all their remaining matches. The Hammers play Manchester United on May 11th, and – as they’re only three points behind them on the table with a better goal difference – if the gap remains the same, the Hammers can overtake United with a win. Manchester United have to play champions-elect Leicester on May 1st, and so may have already dropped points by the time they face West Ham.
So, there is still a lot to play for, very much so. In this raucous season, where West Ham have soared and stumbled, there seems little point in allowing it to peter out. The sort of end to a season that Stoke are dawdling through, with back-to-back 4-0 losses, only sours the palate. Why not surge into the golden light of 2016/17 with a bit of momentum?
Now then, to West Brom. Tony Pulis spent almost all of that impressive 1-1 draw with Spurs barking and yipping manically in his technical area. He is a truly iconic Premier League character, tracksuited and capped, never satisfied by anything less than the sort of bloody-minded, ruddy-faced mettle West Brom have barreled through this season with. West Ham, formerly a team of the same ilk under Allardyce, are now more silk-lined, glossy, just the sort of showmen that the Baggies enjoy putting a boot up. In their previous meeting, West Brom had less than half the shots West Ham did, didn’t score any goals themselves, but came away with a point thanks to a Winston Reid own-goal. Classic.
That game marked the beginning of West Ham’s mid-season slump, as well as a run of five straight draws. It is no coincidence that this barren patch came when Dimitri Payet was injured. But this time, West Ham have an almost fully fit team, and will relish the chance for revenge. Derailing Spurs’ title tilt wight have whetted the Pulis appetite, but complicating West Ham’s already foggy path toward the Europa League might not get West Brom’s dander up as much.
As far as emotive, passionate managers go, Pulis and Slaven Bilic are two of league’s leading examples. Motivation will be in full force this weekend, and a concussive clash beckons.
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