Alan Curbishley has told West Ham to forget the disappointment of Wednesday's FA Cup defeat to Manchester City and aim for Europe.The Hammers return to Eastlands on Sunday seven points off a UEFA Cup place but with a game in hand and, following the 1-0 midweek defeat, no cup distractions.

West Ham boast the best defensive record in the Premier League outside of the top four and, with injured players to come back, Curbishley believes that is the ideal foundation to launch an assault on European qualification.

"We can all see where we can get to," said Curbishley.

"It was a big disappointment on Wednesday because before the game we were really up for the Cup and we wanted to do well.

"But the talk afterwards was that if we can get a result on Sunday, we may catch one of the teams above us.

"We feel we have given ourselves a base, a bit of a chance to push on. We are looking to get into that top six or seven.

"We can see a couple of the teams above us. I looked at Portsmouth and Blackburn. Portsmouth are catchable.

"If we can get a result at Manchester City we can see them as well. I am looking at the fixtures thinking 'let's attack the run-in'.

"We have to be looking upwards not downwards."

Curbishley's optimism is understandable.

His side sit comfortably in 10th place despite having been without key offensive players like Craig Bellamy, Kieron Dyer, Scott Parker and Julien Faubert for most of this season.

Bellamy is now back in full training while Faubert is close to his first West Ham start after an Achilles injury - and Curbishley expects them to bring a creative spark to a side already boasting solid defensive foundations.

West Ham have conceded just 20 times in 21 league games this season with goalkeeper Robert Green and centre-back Matthew Upson enhancing their claims for an England recall under new boss Fabio Capello.

"The defensive unit has been our most consistent team selection, with Green, Upson, Lucas Neill and George McCartney. We are decent defensively. That has been a big strength," said Curbishley.

"If you look at the people missing they are the more offensive players at the club. I have not had the chance to play Bellamy, Faubert, Parker and Dyer in the same team.

"Anybody would miss four players like that and we have not been prolific in the scoring stakes but we have been quite solid.

"What I am going to say to the side, certainty the offensive players, is: 'Give us something a bit more, let's take our chances and be more clinical'.

"We look at the run-in and we feel it is even for us. Each month is sprinkled with one of the top four, perhaps, and the rest of the games are those that we should attack."

While Green and Upson have taken most of the plaudits for West Ham's defensive success, Curbishley has been particularly impressed by full-back McCartney.

"He has been an unsung hero for us. He is one of those sort of players who just gets on with it," said Curbishley.

"He has decided to resurrect his international career with Northern Ireland and I think George is happy with life at the moment.

"He goes unrecognised a bit, but the constant at the club has been the back five."

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