Pienaar looking to nail hammers

Steven Pienaar is predicting a tough test when West Ham come to town on Saturday – but knows three points are a must if the Blues are to emulate the Hammers’ early accomplishments.

Sam Allardyce’s Londoners have been in exceptional form of late and sit perched in the Champions League places in the table – precisely where Everton want to be.

So Pienaar and his teammates will be going all out to close the four-point gap West Ham have on the Toffees.

“They have been doing very well and winning games,” said the South African schemer. “I don’t think many people expected them to start so sharply. The manager has been doing a good job there and it will be difficult.

“I think the players the manager brought in have changed them a lot. They still have that physical side to them but they are also mixing that with some good football. It’s going to be a good test for us. I am looking forward to it.

“For us, we are at home and we will have to go out there and make sure we get all three points. It is not going to be easy and it will be a tough game.

“But we want to be up where they are so we need to collect the points as the race goes on for those top four positions.”

The Toffees themselves are starting to find form of their own and Pienaar sees the festive period as a good opportunity for Everton to climb the table.

“We can’t say exactly why we have started this way,” he reflected. “A few players came back late from the World Cup and when you have to catch up with the other guys fitness-wise it took some of them a little while to get going again.

“We have had a few injuries – myself included – but I think as soon as we hit Christmas and get everyone fully fit, we will start to go back to winning games.”