West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has urged his players to fight for every minute of the season as his side returns to Premier League action on Saturday against Cardiff City.

Allardyce said that the motivation he would give to his side for the remaining 18 league games would be to prove the people wrong who have already written the Hammers off.

"You either come out fighting or you sink and die," Allardyce said in an email that was sent to the club's fans.

"We have got to be man enough to take it on the chin and be determined enough to show people that what they think at this particular moment in time is wrong."

The Hammers have not won in their last seven league games.