Leeds’ visit on Sunday is West Ham’s first taste of cup quarter final action since the heady days of David Moyes’ series of European runs. Those nights under the lights at London stadium – such as when the Irons overturned a one goal early deficit to destroy Genk 4-1 in 2023 – showed that the soulless bowl could indeed become the bowl that rocks.
Nuno will be hoping for the same from home advantage on Sunday and with the game sold out and thanks to FA Cup ticket rules with Upton 9000 Leeds fans, it will be a fabulous spectacle with the Hammers hoping for that home advantage to spur them on: But according to the Leeds supremo it isn’t only the venue that is tipping the scales in West Ham’s favour.
Farke: Worried about the extra travelling day for jet-lagged players
West Ham go into the game with a small but significant advantage
As Daniel Farke admits, home advantage offers more than just the crowd – his squad losing recovery time having to travel to London after exhausting journeys back from international duty is a worry. He’s voiced the concern that simply not having the extra travelling day can give the home side a distinct edge with weary jet lagged players having an extra day on the move south to London:
“There’s no chance, more or less, for one or two days off. I would love to give them a bit more time off to clear their heads but, due to the fact that we have to play an important game on Sunday, we can’t allow them to go away for two or three days right now
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The last time they had a bit of time off was in November. Through the Christmas period and New Year, they had to keep going, and this cost lots of energy; physically and mentally.”
In an even contest between two teams fighting relegation on one hand with a cup semi final up for grabs, small margins can make the difference: A better rested Hammers team will go into the game with a lower fatigue level that might just tip the scales in the last few minutes.