Stewart Downing has insisted that the West Ham United squad is in positive spirits despite their seven-game winless run in the Premier League.

The Hammers' disappointing form includes three consecutive defeats, leaving them in 10th place in the table.

While there has been little to cheer about around Upton Park in recent weeks, Downing claims that he and his teammates are confident that they can enjoy a strong end to the season.

"I think we were in a similar sort of situation last year, we had some suspensions and injuries too. But we've come on a long way, we're harder to beat and we need to continue to improve that," he told the club's official website.

"I think overall the confidence is still there. We've had a little dip in form but all teams do that and we need to bounce back. If we get a win this weekend it sets us up great for the last eight games of the season."

West Ham have the chance to end their winless run on Saturday when they host struggling Sunderland.