Declan Rice: 'Without a doubt, we should be pushing for the top six' | OneFootball

West Ham continued their fantastic start to the season, bar the opening 5-0 Man City loss, earning a tough 0-0 draw away at Villa Park on Monday.

With the result, the Hammers joined five other teams that are just two points below second-placed City on eight points through the first five matches of the Premier League season.

Although Wolves, Everton, and Leicester were widely seen as the teams that could possibly break into the top six this season, rising star Declan Rice believes that West Ham fully deserve to be in the conversation.

“100 per cent. If you look at the players we’ve got, without a doubt we should be pushing for the top six,” Rice told Sky Sports after the match.

“We’ve started the season well, we could have gone third tonight. From the moment I came back in pre-season it was a very happy camp.

“We’re playing with that confidence, we’re defending hard.”

The Hammers will have a valuable chance to prove their worth when they host Manchester United on Sunday, who will be just three days removed from their Europa League clash with Astana.