Bowen: West Ham relegation battle hurts me more than anyone

Jarrod Bowen says West Ham's relegation struggle hurts him more than anyone ahead of their "must-win" game against Wolves on Friday Night Football.

The West Ham captain is desperate to keep the club in the Premier League for a 15th consecutive season, but they currently sit one point adrift of safety with only seven games remaining.

Bowen has spent over six years at the London Stadium, playing a key role in three European campaigns and helping the club win the Conference League. With 84 goals in 273 appearances, he understands better than most just how important it is for West Ham to stay in the top flight.

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"It would mean the world," he said. "This club means so much to me. In the situation that we're in, it hurts me probably more than anyone else.

"I'm trying to do is bring my A-game every single week and also get the team ready to bring their a-game. We know what we have to do in terms of steering away from relegation. We have a massive opportunity to do that.

"We have to keep doing that. Of course you want to score, you want to get assists, you want to be the difference. But also your team-mates as well, they're so important.

"They need to keep stepping up like they have been. We all need to keep stepping up and keep changing our destiny and changing our fortunes and win the games that we have. Then we can almost take control of the situation that we're in. We know what we need to do, so that's the most important thing."

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West Ham have the chance to climb out of the bottom three and pile the pressure on those around them when they host bottom club Wolves this Friday, live on Sky Sports.

"We have to win the game," said Bowen. "It's a great opportunity for us before all the other teams play to get out of the relegation zone.

"You can only take control of your results, of your points. You can't be relying on other teams. We have to take the initiative and we have to go and get three points on Friday."

Image: Jarrod Bowen and Mateus Fernandes

Nuno Espirito Santo's side are also on a revenge mission after he described their 3-0 defeat at Molineux, in which Wolves earned their first victory of the season in 20 games, as "embarrassing" and his worst day in football.

West Ham supporters chanted 'You're not fit to wear the shirt' at their players and Bowen had to be held back at full-time as he sought to confront them.

"We were really, really poor that day, which was disappointing for us," he said.

"Since their new manager, Robert Edwards, has come in, they've really almost turned a leaf and looked like a different side.

"They're bottom of the league but you don't look at that in that way because we've been on the receiving end of losing to them and them playing really, really well."

West Ham are also looking to make up for their FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Leeds in which they scored twice in stoppage time to send the tie to extra time but lost on penalties.

"I think it goes to show the spirit of the squad," said Bowen. "2-0 down, it's easy to chuck the towel in, but we never want to be that team. We keep going and going and going. We nearly turned it around and made it a special one.

"I think that says a lot about where the group's at at the minute."

Image: Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri saves Jarrod Bowen's penalty in the FA Cup

Bowen saw his penalty saved in the shootout and spoke candidly about dealing with the disappointment.

He said: "It's easy when you score and you win games, to enjoy the moment, watch the goals back.
But I think you learn a lot about yourself when things don't go your way. You still do the same thing. I still watch the game, I watch the highlights, I watch the penalty miss, hit the post twice.

"I just think the other day it just wasn't meant to be for me. It was one of those games, but it can happen. But like I said, for me, I never shy away from criticism when things don't go wrong, because ultimately everyone wants the highs of football.

"But I think what makes you a better person makes you a better player is when the lows come. How do you deal with those lows? I think you have to acknowledge them.

"You have to have a day to be disappointed, be hurt, which I was the day of the game, the day after the game. But now you switch your mindset. That's done."

Watch Friday Night Football as West Ham host Wolves, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 8pm

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