We've got it all to do and all to prove

Last updated : 21 February 2011 By Tony Scholes
Grant took his team off on a team bonding day last week and said: "The players know the situation of our position in the league is that we don't deserve to be at the bottom. When you look at performances like at West Brom in the second half and the game at Blackpool, that is the spirit and performance I want to see.

"At the team bonding they were very competitive but had fun, they enjoyed it and that is what we wanted them to do, enjoy this together. Everybody enjoyed it and it was good to be together like this for one day."

Grant will play both Demba Ba and Thomas Hitzlsperger tonight in a very strong team, Hitzlsperger making his debut, and speaking about the FA Cup he added: "With the FA Cup, it is not just about in England. Last year I got lots of messages from all over the world when Portsmouth reached the final.

"Everyone wants to play at Wembley, that is like the temple of English football. I remember from last year at Portsmouth, maybe the players from other countries were more excited than anyone."

It's a second FA Cup tie in charge for Eddie Howe whose main target is to try and get Burnley into the top six. Ahead of tonight's game he said: "In some senses you could look at it as being where we want to get to, what we're fighting to achieve this season.

"Let's see if we can beat a side that are already there. I think it will be a good benchmark and a good test. It's a chance for our players to test themselves against Premier League players. That's always an opportunity to stake their claim to say 'I'm good enough to play at this level regularly'.

"I'd want my players to rise to that challenge and to take it on full steam ahead. I don't think sitting back and being negative would suit any of our players. We'll go there and try to be positive and give a good account of ourselves, and we've got some excellent footballers to compete at that level and I'd like to think we'd be okay."

Howe added: We're preparing as though they're going to play their strongest team. I think that's how we have to. What they do, ultimately, is up to them, but they will want to win the game just as much as we will I'm sure.

"So we're not going to underestimate them or prepare for anything less than a full strength West Ham team. We've got it all to do and all to prove. Hopefully we can do it on this occasion and progress."