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da betsul： West Ham United finished 10th last season, but as much as that could be considered a success, they will definitely be looking to improve on it and advance higher up the standings. With that in mind, here are five key dates that will decide whether the Irons can clinch seventh place.
17 August, Watford (A)
For Manuel Pellegrini’s side, surviving the initial bombardment will be key. Starting the season against the defending champs is not really ideal, but getting back on the horse immediately after that will be a true indicator of the Hammers. For that reason, getting on the board against Brighton and then Watford away is a must. Especially since it can get them going for what seems like an “easier” set of games after a dreadful start.
19 October, Everton (A)
There are no two ways about it, West Ham have to beat Everton if they are to improve on last season’s results, and maybe get that seventh place. Both teams took a win each last season, and winning away from home once more can go a long way towards leapfrogging the Toffees in the table.
23 November, Tottenham Hotspur (H)
West Ham have a bad record against the top teams in the Premier League, but if they really want to make seventh theirs, they will have to start getting some scalps. They were close to beating Spurs and Liverpool last season, and seeing how this is a start of another extremely difficult sequence of games, they just might have to do it when they host Spurs in November.
28 December, Leicester City (H)
Just like Everton, Leicester are definitely on the list of teams West Ham must beat if they want to advance from their 10th position, let alone reach seventh. Considering they drew both times with the Foxes last season, this might be easier said than done, however.
1 February, Brighton (H)
On paper, Brighton should not be a huge threat to the Irons, but the potential three points from this game become absolutely crucial when we factor in that the Hammers face Leicester and Everton before it, and Manchester City and Liverpool after it. These just might become the only “easier” attainable points in their race for seventh for a while.