James Tomkins targets European place with West Ham: 'We have to build on what we’ve got and keep our form going'

Euro vision: Tomkins sees progress at West Ham
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Ken Dyer3 February 2016

James Tomkins believes European qualification is a realistic aim for West Ham following last night’s victory.

The Upton Park club have been doing their best to keep a lid on expectations this season but the 2-0 win put them just a point behind fifth-placed Manchester United and opened up a five-point gap on Southampton, in seventh.

Slaven Bilic’s side had a brief taste of European football almost as soon as the Croat arrived in the summer, in the early rounds of the Europa League having secured their place in the competition via the Fair Play League.

Now Tomkins, who played last night despite 13 stitches in a head wound, believes his team are good enough to qualify for Europe again courtesy of their final position in the Premier League.

Tomkins said: “We have to build on what we’ve got and keep our form going. We’re creating a gap now between us and Southampton, whom we play on Saturday.

“We want to finish as high as we can. I said ‘top ten’ earlier in the season but realistically we’re looking higher.

“Europe is a realistic option. You look at Leicester and see what they’re doing and we know we have as good players as they have.”

Tomkins was a major doubt for last night’s game against bottom-of-the-table Villa after sustaining a head wound in the goalless draw at Liverpool at the weekend. He said: “It was a bit sore when I headed the ball but it’s going to be a bit tender for a while.

“I was touch and go but I felt I could play with a headguard and when Sam Byram picked up an injury, I knew I was in.”

The turning point of last night’s match was the 16th-minute red card for Villa’s Jordan Ayew, following a blatant elbow on West Ham’s Aaron Cresswell.

“It was a bit silly from him,” said Cresswell. “He just threw the elbow. It didn’t hurt fortunately but the big thing is that we managed to get the three points.”

Second-half goals from Michail Antonio and Cheikhou Kouyate meant West Ham took full advantage of their extra man and they have now lost just once in 13 games in all competitions.

On the red card issued to Ayew, Bilic said: “It was a moment of madness and for everyone, a turning point.

“After the second goal it was impossible for them to come back though.

“We were good, we were together, we were serious — we are becoming a serious team.”

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