Robert Snodgrass wants to reward the support of the Claret and Blue Army with another landmark London derby win at London Stadium on Sunday.
The Hammers’ 1-0 victory over the Blues last December marked the turning point in their season, kick-starting a run of one defeat in ten matches that carried the east London side away from the relegation zone and into mid-table.
Nine months on and West Ham host Chelsea again, seeking to build on a confidence-boosting three-point haul at Everton and continue their rise up the standings.
Snodgrass knows the only way Manuel Pellegrini’s team will be able to do that is by outworking Maurizio Sarri’s unbeaten Premier League leaders and earning the right to play, as they did at Goodison Park.
And the Scotland star hopes a first home win of the current campaign will go a long way to reassuring the supporters who were left doubting the Hammers’ credentials after they suffered four straight defeats to start the season.
The most important thing for us was to get that win on Sunday and give ourselves confidence to go into these games believing we can beat Chelsea and believing we can beat the best teams
Robert Snodgrass
“When you’re working hard and going forward and doing all the right things and giving everything for those fans, they’ll back you and support you because they’re as honest as the day is long and they’re there in their numbers,” said Snodgrass. “There are plenty of times, like the win over Tottenham in my first season at the club [in May 2017], when the atmosphere in that stadium has been unbelievable. We beat them on a Friday night and the place was electric.
“It’s up to us and the fans to get that bond between us in that stadium and that starts with winning football matches.”
While Chelsea have won five out of five in the Premier League so far, Snodgrass insists West Ham should not go into Sunday’s lunchtime kick-off with any sort of inferiority complex.
Instead, he pointed to the confidence drawn from last weekend’s win at Everton and the quality in the Hammers’ own ranks as reasons for optimism ahead of what promises to be a competitive, high-tempo and entertaining 90 minutes.
“The most important thing for us was to get that win on Sunday and give ourselves confidence to go into these games believing we can beat Chelsea and believing we can beat the best teams,” said the No11, alluding to the fact that Manchester United will follow Chelsea as visitors to London Stadium on Saturday 29 September.
“We are a very good team and when you get the confidence from winning away from home, you need to take it back to your home stadium and win there too.”