James Tomkins is targeting a fourth clean sheet of the season when West Ham United travel to free-scoring Manchester City on Saturday
James Tomkins is determined to make it three away wins out of three when West Ham United head to Manchester City on Saturday teatime.
The No5 has started three of the Hammers' five Barclays Premier League fixtures this season - all of them at right-back - with all three ending in clean sheets for Slaven Bilic's side.
Those victories have come at Arsenal and Liverpool and at home to Newcastle United and Tomkins is determined to extend that outstanding record when West Ham travel to face the Citizens. However, with the game pitching the top flight's two most potent attacks against one another, the defender knows a clean sheet will not come easy at the Etihad Stadium.
"It was a great win for us against Newcastle on Monday and it was massively important that we got our home record right this time and it was nice to get a victory and put a great performance in," he told West Ham TV.
"It's weird that I've started and kept three clean sheets but that's the way it's panned out. You can see how sharp we are all over the pitch and our pressing is very good, so teams find it hard to break us down.
"With all the new players we've had coming in, we have got pace, strength and energy going forward and that's massively important. We showed that on Monday and I'm sure we'll show it again. It's also important for the team that they do a bit defensively and they have.
"We're a good unit and it's looking good at the minute and everyone is looking forward to playing against City."
After starting at right-back in his three previous appearances, with Angelo Ogbonna out with a hamstring injury, Tomkins looks set to return to his favoured right centre-half position at the Etihad Stadium.
"It felt weird going back to centre-half at the start!" he smiled. "Playing centre-half is more natural for me, with Reidy alongside me, Jenks at right-back and Cress on the other side, they are familiar faces in the back four.
"We were really solid, did really well and talked to each other and the players in front of us. It panned out well and hopefully we can keep this run going."
The No5 has started three of the Hammers' five Barclays Premier League fixtures this season - all of them at right-back - with all three ending in clean sheets for Slaven Bilic's side.
Those victories have come at Arsenal and Liverpool and at home to Newcastle United and Tomkins is determined to extend that outstanding record when West Ham travel to face the Citizens. However, with the game pitching the top flight's two most potent attacks against one another, the defender knows a clean sheet will not come easy at the Etihad Stadium.
"It was a great win for us against Newcastle on Monday and it was massively important that we got our home record right this time and it was nice to get a victory and put a great performance in," he told West Ham TV.
"It's weird that I've started and kept three clean sheets but that's the way it's panned out. You can see how sharp we are all over the pitch and our pressing is very good, so teams find it hard to break us down.
"With all the new players we've had coming in, we have got pace, strength and energy going forward and that's massively important. We showed that on Monday and I'm sure we'll show it again. It's also important for the team that they do a bit defensively and they have.
"We're a good unit and it's looking good at the minute and everyone is looking forward to playing against City."
After starting at right-back in his three previous appearances, with Angelo Ogbonna out with a hamstring injury, Tomkins looks set to return to his favoured right centre-half position at the Etihad Stadium.
"It felt weird going back to centre-half at the start!" he smiled. "Playing centre-half is more natural for me, with Reidy alongside me, Jenks at right-back and Cress on the other side, they are familiar faces in the back four.
"We were really solid, did really well and talked to each other and the players in front of us. It panned out well and hopefully we can keep this run going."
Behind the back four, Darren Randolph produced another outstanding performance in goal, making fine saves to deny Daryl Janmaat and a deflected Papiss Cisse effort that span towards the top corner off Tomkins.
With Adrian now available again after a three-match suspension, the No5 says manager Slaven Bilic can be confident, whichever of his two senior goalkeepers he selects.
"Darren has done massively well for us. He pulled off a good save in the first half and with the one that deflected off me, I'm not sure how he has saved it, so the gaffer is going to have a hard decision, but one he will want to make.
"The gaffer wants to know that whoever he puts in will do well for him and fair play to Darren because he has done well."
After impressing in front of the Sky Sports cameras on Monday, the Hammers get another chance to do so at the Etihad.
“We will go there with confidence. The two away results we’ve had have been unbelievable, so why not make it a third? Everyone is going into it knowing we can do something against them, for sure.”
Tickets are still available for Saturday’s 5.30pm kick-off at the Eithad Stadium. Click here to secure your seat to watch the Barclays Premier League’s two top-scoring teams in action.
With Adrian now available again after a three-match suspension, the No5 says manager Slaven Bilic can be confident, whichever of his two senior goalkeepers he selects.
"Darren has done massively well for us. He pulled off a good save in the first half and with the one that deflected off me, I'm not sure how he has saved it, so the gaffer is going to have a hard decision, but one he will want to make.
"The gaffer wants to know that whoever he puts in will do well for him and fair play to Darren because he has done well."
After impressing in front of the Sky Sports cameras on Monday, the Hammers get another chance to do so at the Etihad.
“We will go there with confidence. The two away results we’ve had have been unbelievable, so why not make it a third? Everyone is going into it knowing we can do something against them, for sure.”
Tickets are still available for Saturday’s 5.30pm kick-off at the Eithad Stadium. Click here to secure your seat to watch the Barclays Premier League’s two top-scoring teams in action.