Lee Bowyer insists he wants to remain at West Ham for life as he prepares to return to action against Manchester City in the FA Cup.

Bowyer, now in his second spell at the club, was in the Hammers side that lost 2-0 at home to City on the opening day of the season.

The midfielder later described the match as the worst he had ever played in and that his own performance was "unacceptable".

But Bowyer turned his fortunes around by scoring four goals in 10 league appearances before a hernia operation consigned him to the treatment room.

Boss Alan Curbishley is hoping to have Bowyer back against Sven-Goran Eriksson's side on Saturday - and the player has already set his sights on ending his career with the club.

Bowyer said: "I would like to finish playing here. That would be my ideal; the icing on the cake for me and my career.

"I support the club, I love the club; always have and always will. It will be the perfect scenario for me to finish at the club I love."

Meanwhile Curbishley has again dismissed suggestions of a rift with star striker Dean Ashton after the England player was relegated to the substitutes' bench against Manchester United and Arsenal.

Ashton had started the previous five games for the Hammers but Curbishley opted to rest him for the victory over United last weekend and the subsequent defeat at the hands of the Gunners on New Year's Day.

Ashton has been frustrated with the lack of first-team chances and was said to be unhappy at being left out of the starting line-up for the last two games.

Talks concerning a new contract appear to have stalled but Curbishley is adamant there is not problem between the pair - insisting results come first.

Curbishley declared: "I wouldn't mind clearing up the situation concerning Dean.

"We've played the top four teams, we played 4-5-1 at Chelsea, kept it tight and were unlucky not to get something from the game.

"We went 4-5-1 against Manchester United and away at Arsenal and Carlton Cole is suited best to the lone striker's role - there's a lot or work to be done when you're playing that role.

"I think we've eased Dean in properly at the start of the season and we're doing it again now.

"Obviously people want to play every game but he played three-and-a-half games, nearly four games on the spin over the Christmas period.

"I changed it for the Manchester United game and perhaps had we not been playing another top four team I might have changed it around a bit.

"But he's had a good rest and hopefully he'll come into training nice and fresh and looking forward to the weekend's game against Manchester City."

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