West Ham United have the chance to do the double over Fulham on Friday night, but Issa Diop has told the official matchday programme that the Hammers “cannot falter” if they are to secure the points.
Diop knows all about some of the Cottagers’ star players from his time in France, and hopes that he can set a better record against the likes of Jean Michael Seri and Maxime Le Marchand than he was able to hold as Toulouse’s captain last term.
The French centre-back has already bettered those who moved to Craven Cottage in the summer once this season when he played a key role in our 2-0 triumph there in December.
To complete the double, however, the 22-year-old has accepted that he and his teammates cannot put a foot wrong at the London Stadium, not only because the fixture is an inner city derby, but also because every game carries its own great significance.
“We play against Fulham, a London team, and we’re at home, so we know we need to win and we cannot falter,” said Diop. “Every game we play is very important and a big test for us, whether it is against Fulham or against Manchester City, who we face next week.
“We must focus 100 per cent on Fulham and make sure we are up to the challenge.”
Like West Ham, Fulham go into the fixture having enjoyed a short break between games as a result of an early exit from the FA Cup.
