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Jesse Lingard warns West Ham team-mates: Sloppy mistakes will cost us in European race

 (Pool via REUTERS)
(Pool via REUTERS)

Jesse Lingard has told his West Ham team-mates they cannot afford to be sloppy in their bid to secure European football.

The Hammers lost ground in the race for the top four in defeat to Everton on Sunday, with Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen both missing golden chances as West Ham failed to register a shot on target.

Manager David Moyes admitted the chances of a Champions League place are now "slim" with the gap to the top four now at five points, but the Hammers know three wins from their final three games would see them claim a Europa League spot.

Lingard's experience has been vital in keeping West Ham in the fight until the end of the season, and now the Manchester United loanee has warned against errors - such as the defending for Dominic Calvert-Lewin's goal on Sunday - across the remaining games.

“It’s just about focusing, concentrating and not being sloppy,” Lingard told the club website. “We need to have the right attitude going into those games so we can start quickly and start on the front foot and win those matches.”

West Ham face Brighton, West Brom and Southampton in their final three games and there are hopes that Moyes will have Declan Rice back from injury for all three.

Moyes has backed Benrahma - who is still on the hunt for a first West Ham goal and headed wide from close range in the game's best chance - to have a big impact over the run-in.

The Algerian has looked desperate to break his duck at times, but Lingard says the forward is not putting undue pressure on himself.

“I don’t think he’s putting pressure on himself,” Lingard said. “He’s arriving in the right areas to score and it’s just about executing.

“For us as a team we’re together and trying to help each other to score and get into the right positions.

“Football is like that. It’s about how we deal with it during the game and how we adapt. I felt we adapted fairly well and dominated the game, but we just couldn’t create clear-cut chances and finish them.”

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