The Final Countdown

Although West Ham fans will doubtless be cheering Aston Villa against Birmingham City on Monday night, with the Blues only three points above the Hammers, most observers, neutral or otherwise, would expect Steve Bruce's team to pick up sufficient points in the run-in to beat the drop anyway.

After Aston Villa, they play Manchester City away on March 16th, followed by: March 22 - West Brom at home; April 5 - Tottenham away; April 12 - Sunderland at home; April 19 - Charlton away; April 21 - Southampton at home; April 26 - Middlesbrough at home; May 3 - Newcastle away; and of course Hammers travel to St. Andrews on May 11 for the final showdown.

Our other relegation rivals Bolton Wanderers play their rearranged game at Liverpool this week - their game in hand over the Hammers - then travel to Sunderland on March 15.

They then have Tottenham at home on Mar 22, followed by Manchester City at home on April 5 and Chelsea away on April 12.

West Ham travel to the Reebok on April 19th for what is likely to be a massive influence on the final outcome, before Bolton's final quartet of fixtures, namely: April 21 - Blackburn away; April 26 - Arsenal at home; May 3 - Southampton away and May 11 - Middlesbrough at home.

West Ham's final fixtures are:

March 15 - Everton away

Mar 22 - Sunderland home

Apr 5 - Southampton away

Apr 12 - Aston Villa home

Apr 19 - Bolton away

Apr 21 - Middlesbrough home

Apr 26 - Manchester City away

May 3 - Chelsea home

May 11 - Birmingham away