Manager on Monday

The Boleyn Ground will be busy this week as Aston Villa and Everton arrive for two matches in quick succession that could go a long way to defining the season's fortunes.

A win on Wednesday against Villa would lift the Hammers out of the bottom three. A second success on Sunday against Everton could propel the team into mid-table and would surely raise hopes of a season looking up rather than down. With the team back in training since Sunday - around 12 hours after they returned from the north-east - there is certainly a determination in the squad to get back to winning ways.

Gianfranco Zola's men head into the matches on the back of two contrasting 2-2 draws that have delighted and frustrated the manager in equal measure. First ...