David Moyes says he wants his West Ham players to believe that they are favourites to win the Europa League.
The Hammers have reached the semi-finals in remarkable fashion after beating Lyon 3-0 away from home in the second leg of their quarter-final.
Craig Dawson, Declan Rice and Jarrod Bowen ripped through the Ligue 1 side to win 4-1 on aggregate.
Moyes has been reluctant to label his side favourites throughout this tournament and still will not do so outright, but the Scot wants his side to believe they can take anyone on in this tournament.
West Ham will now take on German side Eintracht Frankfurt for a place in the final in Seville next month.
“We’re not favourites [to win it], but I want the players to think they are,” said Moyes.
“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.”
