Gary O'Neil, West Ham United

Hammers midfielder trying to force his way into Allardyce’s plans

West Ham midfielder Gary O’Neil is targeting a starting place for the Hammers in the near-future now that a space is up for grabs during captain Kevin Nolan’s three-game suspension.

O’Neil only recently returned to first-team action earlier than expected following a lengthy lay-off with a broken ankle, but the former Middlesbrough midfielder is keen to force his way back into Sam Allardyce’s plans.

“It’s tough because you feel like you’re in no-man’s land a little bit when you’ve worked as hard as I’ve had to to get back into the game,” he said.

“And then I got thrown in at Sheffield Wednesday and at Derby when I wasn’t 100 per cent really, but it was good to get the games.

“But then you have to come back again as everyone gets fit and it is difficult to get into a team that is doing as well as ours is.

“With the strength we have got and me having a long time out through injury, it is hard to force your way back in, but I am happy to just be in and around it.”

O’Neil featured from the bench in West Ham’s 2-1 win against Millwall last weekend and the 28-year-old was pleased to be among the substitutes for the first time this season at Upton Park.

“I haven’t made the bench once at home and we have signed three new attacking players, so the maths told me that I probably wouldn’t be involved,” he said.

“But I was and it cheered me up a lot, so that was nice, especially at home as well.”