The Blades, Burnley and Crystal Palace all helped West Ham's push for a top four spot by taking points of other top of the Barclays Premier League clubs. Aston Villa lost to 10 man Sheffield United, Burnley drew 1-1 with Leicester and Crystal Palace drew 1-1 with Manchester United.

Villa's unexpected loss removes their game in hand from the equation, and Leicester's dropping of two points, and even also United's loss of points might still have some bearing of the final outcome of what will be a tightly contested top four shoot out.

Conspiracy theorists who were around in 1986 might just be starting to feel a little bit of deja vu as Hammers begin their final run in of the Barclays Premier League season. For those too young to remember, or those who weren't even born then, here is a brief resume˘of what occurred.

Hot on the heels of Jose Mourinho's 'inspired' pre-match comments that helped fire the Irons up ahead of their victory over Tottenham, a club who currently languish in NINTH place, busted flush Danny Murphy has just provided another 'incentivised' article which should do just the trick.

Glenn Roeder sadly passed away today at the terribly young age of 65, he had been 'medically troubled' ever since having the need for surgery to deal with a brain tumour while he was the manager of West Ham. He returned to the dug out seven months later and endured torrid abuse from the supporters of some visiting fans, and unfortunately from some home fans as well, they know who they are!

Given the club's unexepected and relatively successful Barclays Premier League season, there are rumours that David Moyes will surely be a lead candidate for manager of the year. This may be sweet music to the ears of Hammers fans, but there are a couple of key issues that are lurking in the back ground.

Manchester: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Stones, Zinchenko, Fernandinho (c), Gündogan, Mahrez, De Bruyne, Torres, Agüero Subs: Steffen (GK), Laporte, Mendy, Cancelo, Rodrigo, Foden, Bernardo Silva, Sterling, Jesus
West Ham: Randolph, Coufal, Diop, Dawson, Cresswell, Johnson, Rice (c), Soucek, Fornals, Lingard, Antonio Subs: Trott (GK), Martin (GK), Balbuena, Noble, Bowen, Lanzini, Benrahma, Odubeko

Since taking over West Ham, or rescuing the club as they like it to be known, David Sullivan and the rest of the Hammers board have sanctioned the signing of NO less than 49 strikers!

Having drunk the 'troubled West Ham' well dry, the media have consolidated their stance now on unsettling Hammers star Declan Rice by inventing claims that escalate on a daily basis from the outlandish, to straight out and out porkies, generated by mischievous writers who have had their collective noses put out of joint by the steady progress made by David Moyes's 'Boys of 21".

Firstly, before we get to the contentious issue as to whether the lack of fans at the incredibly ill-suited and unpopular London Stadium, has helped Hammers reach the lofty heights of a what is currently a genuine top four place in the Barclays Premier League, we have to mention that West Ham have accrued 21 points so far this season away from home, which included six victories!

There's sour grapes, and then there are grapes that having been left too long become hallucinogenic, these must be the fruit being consumed by some Tottenham fans websites following their defeat at the hands of David Moyes's West Ham team last Sunday, a defaet that put them NINTH in the Barclays Premier League table, as opposed to West Ham in FOURTH position.

Here is a classic example of an 'in denial' comment from Spurs Web: