Pardew expecting highly-charged atmosphere

Alan Pardew will resist any temptation to rest key players for Sunday's grand finale at Wigan.

West Ham, buoyant following three successive wins, will qualify for the play-offs providing they are not beaten 4-0 by a side who are themselves desperate to force themselves into the final shake-up but Pardew said: "I will put out my strongest side.

"We are not quite there yet and it will be a highly charged atmosphere. Wigan are just outside the play-off positions and will be wanting just to beat us to perhaps qualify themselves.

"I've been in this situation before," recalled the West Ham manager. "When Reading won promotion we needed a draw against Brentford and we made it."

Pardew has no special plans for the Wigan match. "It's important we play normally," he said. "We have some momentum now and we want to keep it going.

"This match, and the atmosphere in which it will be played, will be good preparation for the play-offs if we make it."

As to the play-offs themselves, Pardew has no preference. "It's so tight there, it's difficult to predict what will happen after this Sunday's final matches," he said.

"Reading finished third last year and we didn't go up so there can be too much emphasis on where you finish and who you play.

"The one thing which would be in our favour though is to have a night match at Upton Park, preferably the second leg. I believe the atmosphere generated there would be something special."

Pardew has no injury problems and must decide whether to recall Tomas Repka and David Connolly, both of whom are eligible again following suspension.

"I'm not giving my hand away at this stage but it will be what I consider to be the strongest team available," Pardew said.