Tottenham Hotspur can climb out of the Premier League relegation zone if they beat Aston Villa on Sunday night.
Tottenham Hotspur have been given a huge boost to their hopes of avoiding relegation from the Premier League. The Lilywhites have the chance to climb out of the bottom three when they face Aston Villa following West Ham's defeat to Brentford.
The Bees stung Nuno Espirito Santo's side at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon, banking three crucial points that turned the tide at either end of the table. Brentford climbed into sixth place, taking the lead in the race for qualification to the Europa League, while West Ham squandered the opportunity to extend their advantage over Spurs.
Keith Andrews' side took the lead after a quarter of an hour when Konstantinos Mavropanos turned the ball into his own net. The Hammers struck the post a few moments later before having a goal chalked off by the Video Assistant Referee for offside.
Despite their best efforts, West Ham couldn't level proceedings, with Valentín Castellanos hitting the woodwork again. Brentford doubled their lead shortly into the second half when Igor Thiago sent Mads Hermansen the wrong way from the spot.
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The Bees put the third and final nail in the coffin eight minutes from the end, with Mikkel Damsgaard wrapping a superb win for the hosts and a what could prove to be costly defeat for the Hammers. Nuno's side could have gone five points clear of Tottenham, but they're still just a stone's throw away.
The Lilywhites can capitalise on West Ham's misfortune when they take centre stage at Villa Park on Sunday night. Without getting carried away, De Zerbi always expected the Hammers to fluff their lines.
Speaking to reporters at Hotspur Way on Friday afternoon, the Italian deflected and pointed out that West Ham have some tough fixtures coming up. Deflecting some pressure off his players, De Zerbi said: "We have two points less than West Ham and West Ham have to play a difficult game as well, like us.
"Okay, it's not the best moment for us, it's a tough moment, it's a difficult moment, but the losers cry, the losers think negatively. I don't want people close to me crying or to think in a different way than me. That was clear?"
He added: "We have to die on the pitch and to die on the pitch, we have to lose the game, and before losing the game, we have to play, we have to fight."
On how he plans to approach Sunday night's clash, De Zerbi said: "Keeping the ball, showing our qualities, because if we have a chance to win the game, it's because we have great players, for me, and fight, run, defend everyone together with order, with the right organisation.
"Without the ball, for sure, because we have to defend, but we have to attack and to keep the ball and to enjoy with the ball. To try the one-to-one on the wingers' side. To play when we have the right time and the right space between the lines. That's my idea."
On the fans, De Zerbi said: "They showed their passion with Brighton at home. It was an incredible atmosphere, and we have our responsibilities also for them.
"They showed their passion in Wolverhampton, because they were fantastic with us. It's not so easy to see another stadium in this position of the table to give the same support, the same love they gave against Brighton or in Wolverhampton."