Football
Reuters 17y

Soccer-West Ham will show nerves of steel, Curbishley says

By Tony Stevens

LONDON, May 11 - West Ham United manager Alan
Curbishley said the big occasion would not overawe his side on
Sunday after their tribulations of the last few years.

The London club face new champions Manchester United at Old
Trafford in the Premier League's final round of fixtures,
needing a point to ensure they do not join Watford and Charlton
Athletic in the second division next season.

After taking Liverpool into penalities in a thrilling FA Cup
final last season and having reached the Premier League via a
tense playoff final two years ago, Curbishley knows his players
have what it takes to rise to the big game.

"I'm sure those 90 minutes at Old Trafford will be
nerve-racking but we're ready for that," Curbishley, who took
over at West Ham last December, said on Friday.

"The players have had big games. The Cup final last year,
playoff finals -- I don't think anyone's afraid of a big game.

"If you look at the players we've got here at the moment,
they've all been through it and had enormous pressure to deal
with this year but now it's just one more game.

"I know there's a lot of money at stake, but that's the last
thing the players will think about when they go out on the
pitch."

With relegation estimated to cost anything between 30 and 50
million pounds ($59.33-$98.89 million), staying in the top
flight means everything.

Sheffield United and West Ham have 38 points while Wigan are
on 35.

If Sheffield win or draw they will be safe and Wigan will go
down while three points for Wigan keeps them safe and would
leave Sheffield needing West Ham to lose at Old Trafford. West
Ham could still survive in the unlikely scenario of a narrow
defeat combined with Sheffield shipping four or more at home.

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