David Moyes has encouraged his West Ham United players to believe that they can win the Europa League this season.
The Hammers secured a safe passage through to the semi-finals after beating Ligue 1 outfit Lyon 3-0 away from home in the second leg of their quarter-final tie on Thursday night, progressing 4-1 on aggregate.
Craig Dawson, Declan Rice and Jarrod Bowen were all on the scoresheet in France to help the East Londoners set up a last-four tie with Eintracht Frankfurt later this month.
Speaking to the press after the match, Moyes played down suggestions that his side are the favourites to win the Europa League, but he has urged his players to believe that they can go all the way in the competition.
"We're not favourites [to win it], but I want the players to think they are," the Scotsman told reporters, via the Evening Standard/a>.
"Immensely proud of the players and the performance and probably more so, when you look back, of the performance in the second-half of the first leg when we were down to 10 men, which looked a really poor decision.
"The players stuck at it, never gave up, got a goal in front before we conceded. I don't think anyone, when they were putting questions to me earlier, thought we were going to make it tonight.
"It is huge what we have done in two years. We have not won any trophies yet but we are trying to compete and to qualify from European football again, if we can. To be getting to these later stages, we have beaten big clubs that are used to European football.
"You don't win anything for tonight but it was a big moment for us. Winning 3-0 away from home in Europe – really good result."
West Ham will host the first leg of their semi-final tie with Frankfurt at the London Stadium on April 28, before the Hammers travel to Germany for the second leg on May 5.
Oliver Thomas
