Glenn Eyes Competition

Glenn Roeder spent much of Wednesday afternoon watching Sunderland at Old Trafford on TV when he was expecting to be at the Valley trying to direct a win for his team over Charlton.

He says the relegation battle ahead is primarily in West Ham's hands - but that doesn't mean he is not aware of his competitors.

Bolton were beaten at Aston Villa, while Fulham's fixture with West Bromwich Albion was also a victim of the watery weather.

"It is what we do, and that is winning games - of course it is important that we do that, but you have got to have an eye on what other teams are doing around you," says Glenn.

"We have our game plan set out, we know what we are trying to achieve for our own survival, but when people say 'it is not what other teams do, it is what you do', that is not quite so simple."

And so it was that Glenn was an interested observer of Sunderland, so long in the lead at Old Trafford after a fifth minute Veron own goal, and their quest to pull away from the danger zone with a win.

"It looked to us as if Manchester United were going to get beaten," says Glenn, "and we sat at Upton Park looking at the whole of the second half.

"When Solksaer missed a chance to equalise quite early in it, and the way the game was panning out, you thought it wasn't going to be Manchester United's day.

"But from our point of view, them winning was a good result; they really went for it and threw everything at Sunderland, who, you have to say, defended magnificently well.

"Their goalkeeper was terrific, as was his defence, but Manchester United put in wave after wave of attack and eventually broke them down.

"It was a fantastic finish from Beckham after a sidefoot through ball from Rio Ferdinand, and then Scholes got the winner with a brave header.

"A lot of players would have got out the way with the keeper flying out at him, but not Scholes.

"I know him well and, apart from being an exceptionally talented player - one of the best in England - he is also incredibly brave."

West Ham remain bottom, of course, level on points with WBA.