Sam Allardyce believes West Ham can punish Arsenal’s defence

• Allardyce: West Ham have turned Upton Park into fortress again

• ‘You have to be good enough on the ball to get at them’

• Match report: Chelsea 2 West Ham United 0

Sam Allardyce believes his West Ham United team can exploit Arsenal’s defence and inflict a first defeat on them at Upton Park in more than eight years to strengthen his own team’s pursuit of European qualification.

Arsenal’s Boxing Day victory over Queens Park Rangers moved them to within a point of West Ham before Sunday’s derby, though Allardyce is convinced his own players’ momentum will not be checked by their loss at Chelsea. He has overseen six wins from his side’s last seven unbeaten home league games and, with Alex Song – against his former club – and Diafra Sakho set to start having initially been rested at Stamford Bridge, Arsène Wenger’s team could endure a torrid afternoon at Upton Park.

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source Sport | The Guardian http://feeds.theguardian.com/c/34708/f/666716/s/41d03337/sc/12/l/0L0Stheguardian0N0Cfootball0C20A140Cdec0C270Csam0Eallardyce0Ewest0Eham0Earsenal0Edefence/story01.htm