James Ward-Prowse insists West Ham United are primed for a tough test at home to Luton Town on Saturday afternoon, as we look to bounce back from defeat at Chelsea against a team fighting for their lives towards the bottom of the Premier League table.
The result at Stamford Bridge last time out all but ended the Hammers’ hopes of European qualification, but a positive showing against the Hatters could go a long way to securing a third top-ten finish in four seasons.
That is no foregone conclusion, with Rob Edwards’ visitors having run West Ham close in a reverse fixture that finished 2-1 to the east Londoners back in September, while they are now battling to cut the three-point gap between themselves and 17th-placed Nottingham Forest with two games to go.
But Ward-Prowse, who was part of the Southampton squad that dropped into the EFL Championship at the end of 2022/23, knows what to expect when he takes to the field at London Stadium, and is confident his team can register a first win in little over a month.
“It’s never easy to play a team whose lives are on the line, and we know they’re going to come here and give everything they’ve got,” the 29-year-old said.
“I think the football world has grown fond of Luton because of the way they’ve come up and gone about things this year, and you have to admire the work ethic and desire they’ve displayed.
“A lot of us have been down where they are now, so we know what it’s like, and we can’t underestimate them. They’ve got good players too, who we’re going to look out for - I’ve played with the likes of Ross Barkley and Cauley Woodrow on the international scene, so I know some of the quality they’ve got.
“But we have to go out there and play our own game. We need a reaction after Sunday, because we know that wasn’t good enough, and we want to make sure we sign off for the season at home in the right way.”
The Luton clash is indeed West Ham’s penultimate game of 2023/24, ahead of a trip to Manchester City on 19 May, and Ward-Prowse has plenty of fond memories from his first campaign in the capital.
The Club announced earlier this week that manager David Moyes will leave his role in the summer, and the England midfielder is clear the players are determined to give their gaffer the send-off he deserves.
Ward-Prowse, who has scored six goals in 49 goals for the Claret and Blue Army so far, added: “Overall, I think it’s been a really positive first year here.
“As there always is, there have been ups and downs, but there have been lots of good moments, like getting to the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals. There is an element of what might have been in some aspects, but I think we can use that as fuel to come back even stronger next season.
“It’s important now that we finish off in the right way, and in particular for the boss. We all owe him a lot for what he’s done for this Football Club, so hopefully we can get the right result.”
