"We have been told that Alan Pardew will be watching in the stands and hopefully that will spur us on to impress the new gaffer," he says.
"I am sure with every team that plays with a new manager you are playing for your place and it will be no different here.
"Everyone will be trying to show what they can do and I don't think Alan will hesitate to make changes - he is a good manager and he has proved that."
Neil knows it will be another tough one, with West Ham's home record not quite as good as Trevor Brooking would hope it to be.
"Everyone comes to West Ham and it is the biggest game of the season because it is a full house and because of the fact that West Ham have been in the Premiership so long," explains Neil.
"All the teams get up for it and the players do as well; it has happened to other big sides in the past as well.
"We have to be up for the game and we are at least not losing, but it is the nature of the game that people are trying to squeeze us."
Neil was disappointed he didn't get the winner against Norwich, with on-loan Peter Crouch grabbing an equaliser on Wednesday.
"It was a good goal; Crouchy played well - they had a lot of pressure on us and it only looked a matter of time before they were going to score, which sadly they did," he says.
It is two starts in two games for Neil, who says:
"I am disappointed I haven't made more of an impact in the starts that I made; I just have to keep going and remain positive which I will do.
"At Derby it was a poor game even though we got the points at the last minute.
"Everyone was made up after that game that Don got the winner in the last minute but it was totally different on Wednesday."
As for playing alongside Richard Garcia, he says:
"It is up to the manager to pick the side and I think he had a very good game; he was a bit tired towards the end and that is why I think he came off.
"He would have impressed a few people - certainly I am a fan of his, that's for sure.
"I just want to be in the side winning games but who knows what will happen - that is up to Trevor.
"Burnley got hammered in the week and hopefully they will again."