Grant has a score to settle

Grant has a score to settle

Published Dec. 31, 2010 1:17 p.m. ET

The Hammers were denied all three points in October's 1-1 draw at Molineux when referee Mark Clattenburg penalised Frederic Piquionne for handball after the striker netted in the dying seconds. Television replays appeared to show the goal should have stood and Grant has not forgotten the incident that has ultimately cost his side dear, with rock-bottom West Ham currently a point behind Wolves having played a game more than all of their relegation rivals. The Hammers boss said: "I think they owe us something because we scored against them a goal that was disallowed in the last moment. "Wolves would be behind us but for the decision of the referee. "It was one of our best games, at Wolves." Defeat on Saturday is unthinkable for a West Ham side who could find themselves cut four points adrift if they lose and other results go against them. Co-owner David Gold this week insisted being beaten by Wolves would not spell the end of Grant's six-month reign but it would certainly crank up the pressure which has eased during the Hammers' current three-match unbeaten run. Grant is refusing to contemplate the consequences of defeat as he tries to become only the second manager to mastermind the survival of a Premier League club that has been bottom on Christmas Day. Asked if the Wolves game was one of the biggest of his career, he said: "I don't think like this. "I think all the games are big games. You remember three months ago, you also said to me, 'This is the biggest game, this is the biggest game'. "As long as we're in this place, we can say it will be a big game. "Any result against Wolves, the game against Newcastle will again be a big game." He added: "I think we are on the right track. "The last three games, we've seen a lot of improvement in the way we've taken points and it's good. "But we need to win on Saturday against a team that is a very good team. "I don't think there are any weak teams in this league. "It is maybe the first year there is not one weak team in the league." Wolves climbed above West Ham thanks to Wednesday night's shock win at Liverpool and they will be even more confident of causing the league's bottom club problems. But they will have to beat a goalkeeper in Robert Green who has finally found his form following a disastrous World Cup debut for England. "He started the league not so well," said Grant of a player who was man of the match in Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Everton. "I told Robert that at every press conference at the beginning of the season, 20 minutes was about him - and not because he is very handsome! "I said, 'Now you are playing well, nobody asks me about you'. "The games at the beginning of the season, you (the media) were critical about him and I understand it because it was after the World Cup. "It's good in sport because you can always answer on the pitch. "You see in the last two months, you don't even ask one question about him. "It means he's doing his job on the pitch, and it's good."

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