As we all take a breath from the drama of this week’s [Premier League](https://www.claretandhugh.info/west-ham-1-1-manchester-united-the-morning-after/) campaign, last minute goals and managerial sackings, the FA Cup may well seem a welcome diversion for a day with dreams of Wembley in May; However the real gritty fight for top flight-survival is never far from the front of supporters minds even as we watch the Hammers take a trip to third tier Burton Albion this lunchtime.
In fact, the past seven days could well have seen a shift in momentum across the lower echelon of vulnerable sides all looking down the league table – to see West Ham looking up.
As the [BBC put it:](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c4gjplk9rr7o)
_“With 12 games remaining history shows the Hammers are more than capable of surviving, and in Nuno Espirito Santo they have a manager who knows what it takes to stay up from his time at Forest._
_West Ham’s current points tally (24) is the most by any side in 18th at this stage of a campaign since 2019-20, when the Hammers recovered to stay up with 39 points._
_And they are arguably the form club in the lower reaches of the table, with three wins helping them take 10 points from their past five games.”_
The report also pinpoints how sides round West Ham just cannot string a decent run together – _“Forest have won just two of their past 10 games..14th-placed Seagulls (31 points) are on a dismal run having won just one top-flight game since 30 November…Spurs have managed a meagre four points from the previous 27 available to them.”_
Momentum is a curious intangible. Which is why an emphatic West Ham win at lunchtime today, whilst irrelevant in terms of Premie League survival, could be momentous in nailing down that winning mentality and momentum ahead of the season finale. ‘_Just a Cup game’_ it is not!