Grant sets struggling Hammers 9-point target for survival

Avram Grant has set his West Ham strugglers a nine-point survival target.

Another home defeat saw the Hammers slide to ­second from bottom of the Premier League, their top-flight status in real peril.

And even the Hammers boss was forced to admit: “It will be hard now. Difficult – but not impossible.

“We are not going to give up. I think that we need nine points to stay in the league and, yes, I believe it is ­possible.”

Grant also claimed his team were again victims of poor refereeing decisions.

He believed that Villa ­defender Richard Dunne should have been sent off for a first-half shove on striker Carlton Cole that would have also brought West Ham a ­penalty when they were ­leading 1-0.

“Red card and penalty,” said Grant, who also found fault with the goal that gave Villa a crucial win when Gabriel Agbonlahor headed home a cross from Ashley Young in time added on by referee Mark Halsey.

“He pushed Danny ­Gabbidon before he headed the goal,” said Grant, who was without inspirational ­midfield player Scott Parker yesterday – and will be for the next fortnight. Villa manager Gerard Houllier spoke before the game of the need for ­collective effort and was ­delighted with the response of his team after they had gone behind to a Robbie Keane goal after just one minute and 48 seconds.

“When you are in danger, you cannot have egos and grudges,” Houllier said. “You have to be man enough to work for each other.”

Villa have soared to ninth place in the table on the back of the win and Houllier ­believes the momentum gathered from back-to-back wins will serve them well.

He said: “The Premier League is like a race and we are now in the home straight. You must be well-placed for the final push.

“You need character and composure and we showed both. We showed that we can defend well and we also had good combinations with our wingers and full-backs.

“Today, I saw a team that was together and worked hard. Now, we will fight to keep the momentum going.