Joey O'Brien has urged his West Ham United teammates to prove that they deserve to be challenging for a spot in the top four by responding to their recent disappointments.

Defeats to Chelsea and Arsenal in the past week have seen the Hammers slip to sixth in the table, but O'Brien believes that the squad must remain positive heading into the meeting with West Bromwich Albion on New Year's Day.

"I think it's the biggest game of the season so far for us," the defender told reporters. "We are coming off two defeats and if we want to be in the top six or seven, then we have to win our home games.

"You go on a run of losing games and you will find yourself tenth while in the past couple of weeks we have been fourth.

"Things can change pretty quickly but we are still looking up and we are going forward."

O'Brien could lose his place on Thursday should Sam Allardyce decide to recall Carl Jenkinson.