West Ham United will head to Tottenham Hotspur with confidence for Sunday's Premier League derby, but Jarrod Bowen knows the Hammers still have a lot to prove.
As of late, the No20 has been playing with a spring in his step, scoring in wins over Everton and Derby County in January and providing the assist for Emerson's equaliser against Chelsea last time out.
And even after collecting five points from the previous three Premier League matches and losing just one in seven in all competitions, Bowen is clear that he and his teammates still have more to offer and improvements to make in north London.
“It is a massive game!” the No20 stated. “It’s a big derby again. The fans and players will be right up for it, so we want to go there and win it.
“In the last few weeks, we've had a couple of wins in the FA Cup and some good results in the league too."
Without question, the Hammers have had some joy in recent meetings against Spurs, with the England forward playing his part.
Bowen was in the West Ham side who grabbed an unlikely point from a 3-3 draw there in October 2020, while the No20 also played his part as the Irons defeated their local rivals in both February and October 2021 at London Stadium. He also scored in a narrow EFL Cup quarter-final defeat at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in December 2021.
Victory for the Irons this time round would not only give them local bragging rights again, but also boost their position in the Premier League table.
“We don’t hide away from our position,” Bowen continued. “It’s about us as players getting ourselves out of this situation.
“Since the World Cup, we have put together some good performances and good results, but we are still in the conversation of being in the bottom three, so we have got massive games coming up.
“If you look at the league you can win two on the bounce and get back up to mid-table and give yourself some breathing space.
“But we know it is not going to be handed to us. We have got to earn it. We have had positive signs against two top teams, Chelsea and Newcastle United, where we have gone behind in both games and shown the old West Ham: coming back, showing resilience and fighting spirit.”
As the Irons head into the final third of the season, that character will be crucial. Bowen and company are still involved in three competitions: the Premier League, the UEFA Europa Conference League and the FA Cup and are determined to make their mark in all three.
“I think when you look at the cups [we have a chance],” he stated. “We are still in the FA Cup and we have Europe still; there is a massive opportunity to bring some silverware to the fans.
“We have a big game next. I feel back and at a good level. It has been better [in recent weeks], but we know we need to do more.”
And for Bowen and company, that more than needs to happen in north London on Sunday afternoon.
