West Ham midfielder Stewart Downing is feeling optimistic about the club’s chances of finishing in the top 10 this season after the 2-0 victory over rock-bottom QPR.
The win, secured by a fifth-minute Nedum Onuoha own-goal and Diafra Sakho’s header just before the hour mark, saw the Hammers rise to seventh place in the table.
Downing provided the corner from which the ball appeared to strike Enner Valencia’s hand before bouncing in off Onuoha.
And Downing said: “I thought it was Enner’s goal to be honest.
“I just tried to put it into an area and we have good lads attacking it.
“We are due a little bit of luck and I think it has come off Onuoha in the end. Things have gone against us in the past but we got one.
“If we consistently perform like we did against Liverpool (a 3-1 victory) and we did today, then we have a hell of a chance of being inside the top 10, if not further up.
“But we have to consistently do that. We let ourselves slip against Manchester United, but if we put a run together, we have got a good chance.”
Sakho, a summer signing from French side Metz, now has five goals in as many games with his latest a close range finish after QPR failed to clear another set-piece.