Captain Declan Rice urges West Ham to remain positive
The Hammers remain in fourth place.
Declan Rice has urged West Ham to stay positive despite seeing their winning run come to an end against Leeds.
The Hammers remain in fourth place even though they slipped to a 3-2 defeat at home to the Whites.
David Moyes’ side had won their previous four matches in all competitions and face a trip to Manchester United next weekend.
Midfielder Rice told the club website: “We need to be positive. There is nothing to be down about.
“We’re still fourth and I think our fans would much rather be fourth than down the bottom of the table looking up, so we need to keep pushing and see how far we can go.
“We’ve got a big game next week at Old Trafford, so we’ll see how we go up there.”
West Ham equalised twice against Leeds through Jarrod Bowen and Pablo Fornals, but Jack Harrison’s hat-trick ultimately left them empty-handed.
“It’s very frustrating,” added Rice. “It was an opportunity to really push up in the table and get three points off Chelsea in second, so it’s an opportunity missed and a big one as well.
“Silly mistakes just cost us and that’s unlike us as usually we’re compact and solid, but we also had some great chances ourselves to draw the game or get ourselves in front.”
Leeds defender Pascal Struijk returned from injury to help keep West Ham at bay as they pushed for a third equaliser.
He told LUTV: “I’m very pleased with the performance against a good side.
“It was my first game back for six weeks and I’m happy with my own performance and as a team.
“We were ahead and they came back twice, but we still managed to get the third goal, we almost didn’t see it out, but we did and came away with the three points.
“I really enjoyed it, it was a good fight and I’m obviously very happy with how it went.
“I’m really happy for Jack, he’s done really well, he’s improved over the last couple of games getting his old form back.
“Overall it was a very good performance from us and we have to try and keep this going.”