West Ham United travel to Bournemouth for a crucial relegation six-pointer on Boxing Day.
West Ham had turned a corner under David Moyes of late taking seven points from games against Chelsea, Arsenal and Stoke City to lift themselves out of the relegation zone.
But a meek performance against the Gunners in the Carabao Cup quarter-final saw them drop out before a 3-2 home defeat to a Newcastle United side who had not won for 3 months.
Ahead of the game against the Magpies many pundits and even West Ham’s players started to believe the Hammers had become a new force under Moyes having gone three Premier League games without conceding a goal.
But Hammers fans knew different because the club’s age-old curse of always being the patsy for a team who needs a win or a player who needs a goal or hasn’t scored for a long while.
It has already happened countless times this season against the likes of Watford, Everton and Crystal Palace.
“I can assure you it won’t happen,” Collins said.
“You can just tell the confidence around the place is completely different. The confident is huge at the minute.”
Then sure enough the Hammers are turned over on their own patch by a team who couldn’t buy a win.
That bodes well for West Ham’s Boxing Day opponents Bournemouth who are crying out for a patsy to roll up to the Vitality Stadium on Boxing Day after going eight games without a win.
Eddie Howe couldn’t wish for a better team to be playing and his side will leapfrog the Hammers with a win.
With that kind of incentive and home advantage the Cherries will fancy their chances despite their awful form.
Can the Hammers man up and get back to their recent good form or will the dark clouds start to gather again for Moyes?
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