Issa Diop hopes to see former club West Ham United avoid relegation this season, but only after Fulham have dealt a blow to their survival ambitions on Saturday.
Defeat by Newcastle United in midweek means goal difference alone keeps the Hammers out of the bottom three, and Diop wants to see them pull away from danger – once this weekend’s London derby is out of the way.
“I still have some friends, I still have some attachment to the club because I played there,” he explained. “Of course I want them to stay up. [But] I want us to win, and then for them to stay up!
“I spent four years over there, so I know most of the guys. Said Benrahma, Kurt Zouma, all the French guys, but I was close to everyone – Dec [Rice], Cress [Aaron Cresswell], the kitman Jame-o, everyone.
“I still speak to most of them often, but when we’re on the pitch for the game it’s going to be a different story.”
Wednesday was a humbling night for West Ham, as they fell to a – largely self-inflicted – 5-1 loss.
But when asked if our opposition having a double gameweek could benefit Fulham, Diop pointed to the Irons’ European schedule as to why it likely won’t have an impact at Craven Cottage.
“To be honest, it doesn’t change a lot,” he stated. “They played Wednesday, but they have a big squad, also.
“They’re used to playing every three days for the last two years, so for them it’s going to be the same, and for us it’s not going to change anything in terms of how we plan for the weekend.”
The Whites head into Saturday having lost three consecutive Premier League matches for the first time this season.
“There is a lot of time, a lot of points to go,” Diop said. “The mentality in the group is good, very good – everyone wants to work.
“We know that we’ve had bad results, but we’ll be going again in the next game.
“The players inside the group, we know what we want to do. And, believe me, we’re going to make it right.”
