Lanzini keen to repeat 'beautiful feeling'

  • by Staff Writer
  • Sunday, 20th March 2022

There's been no respite for David Moyes and his players following Thursday night's memorable comeback against Sevilla in the Europa League.

Less than 72 hours after the Hammers dumped the Spanish league front-runners out of Europe on a memorable night in Stratford, it's back to domestic action with a difficult London derby at Tottenham.

And with the hosts only behind West Ham in the Premier League table on goal difference, and with a game in hand, it's vital for United's European aspirations that they take something from today's game.


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One player - perhaps uniquely - not particularly feeling the pressure, if his pre-match thoughts are anything to go by, is midfielder Manuel Lanzini.

The Argentinian played a major role in the defeat of Seville yet is raring to go once again - and mindful of the importance of Sunday afternoon's meeting.

"It’s going to be a very difficult match," he conceded. "Derbies are exceptional of course, they're not like other games - but I think we just need to go in taking the form that we have while continuing to play in the same way.

“They're a very good team led by a very good manager and they know how to approach this sort of match as well. So we just need to focus on ourselves, make sure we keep playing the same way that we have been and no doubt we can pick up a victory and three points.

"Winning is always fundamental and the most important thing. In this match, perhaps even more so. But it's one of those things that comes down to two sides.

“It's about the performance that you put in. It's very important we go out to give the best show of ourselves, but a match like this also gets decided by the little details.

"It's critically important for us to get three points off Tottenham because that means we'll open up that gap a little bit more. That will help us in our quest for European football next year.”

Without a win in their last three visits to N17, the Hammers do however have fond memories of the most recent Premier League meeting between the two clubs at the New White Hart Lane.

3-0 down with only eight minutes of normal time remaining, the Hammers staged a quite remarkable comeback to take a share of the spoils with three late goals. And Lanzini is hoping to repeat his heroics of that night in October 2020 when he scored the equaliser deep into added-on time.


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"It was a difficult match, we were losing 3-0, but fortunately we were able to pull it back and draw at the end," he recalled.

“It was a difficult match and we started under pressure and went 3-0 down. I think there were only ten minutes left at the end for us to come back and draw, so you do kind of feel like you’ve won in that situation because of how the match unfolded.

"That feeling you get when you score in the last minute away from home is really something beautiful.”

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