Mark Noble is eager to win back his place in the West Ham United starting lineup but admitted to WHUTV that he has a fight on his hands.
The 20-year-old midfielder had missed out on the three previous fixtures before Saturday's home game against Everton, but was an energetic presence when he came on for last 30 minutes. Noble lost his spot in the side initially because of injury but, since recovering, has had to bide his time because of the impressive form of Scott Parker and Hayden Mullins.
"I have come back from my hernia operation and Hayden and Scotty have been playing well," he told WHUTV. "Hopefully I will get my chance soon and get my place back and crack on and play as well as I can do." Noble will hope to have done enough to be in the manager's thoughts for the trip to Middlesbrough next Saturday, when the club look to maintain their impressive away run.
Alan Curbishley's faith in Noble was underlined at the weekend when, with Everton one-up, he sent on the youngster to try and add some attacking impetus. "He just said - 'Go on and do what you can. Get involved in the game' and it was nice to get on and get playing again.
"Obviously I am disappointed with the result, I think all the boys are but we have got to pick it up and get a result at Boro next week. We had a few chances. We really piled it on the second half but they defended well and we couldn't get a goal. We didn't take our chances in the first half which paid at the end of the game."
Noble, who said he didn't think "injuries are to blame" for two defeats in a week by Everton at the Boleyn Ground, added that he fully expected the club to start picking up more points at home to go with the fine away form. "Sometimes it works like that - towards the end of last season our home form was unbelievable. We were just punishing teams but it works like that and we are trying our best to change it around.
"We have got enough players, we have got enough ability to be beating the likes of Everton at home. Obviously the fans will stick by us and we will always get a good travelling away support. We just need to pick up our points at home and then I am sure we will be all right."