West Ham manager Sam Allardyce says he would have no problem with sneaking through the ‘back door’ into European football via the Fair Play League. The Hammers started the season strongly and looked a good bet for European qualification around Christmas before their form fell away, with a mid-table finish now all-but certain. But a reprieve could be granted by the Fair Play League, with Allardyce’s side topping the Barclays Premier League table for their good behaviour, just ahead of Burnley. If West Ham finish top of the pile and England’s top flight is within the top three ‘fair-playing’ leagues in Europe – which it was on last count - they will earn a Europa League place. Sam Allardyce's West Ham are top of the Premier League Fair Play table, sitting just above Burnley . The Hammers have won once in their last 10 league matches and drew 1-1 against Stoke in their last match . Where do the English teams stand? 1. West Ham . 2. Burnley . 3. Liverpool . 4. Manchester City . 5. Southampton . Qualification via Fair Play would see the Hammers enter the competition at the first qualifying round, playing their first game on July 2 and competing in up to six games before the Premier League season even starts. But Allardyce, who takes his charges to face champions Manchester City on Sunday, just wants to qualify and doesn’t care how he does it, or when the season restarts. ‘It’s a headache but you’ve got to take the opportunity if it arises,’ he said. ‘It might be seen as the back door, (but) it’s an opportunity to play in Europe. ‘I think every player wants, not come back that bit earlier, but certainly to play in Europe because this club hasn’t been in that position to play in Europe for a long time.’ Allardyce’s Upton Park future hangs in the balance with his contract expiring in the summer and a section of fans demanding he is replaced at the end of the season, but he has already been involved in meetings concerning pre-season plans. Allardyce is out of contract at West Ham in the summer which leaves his managerial future in the balance . ‘The difficulty is the fact that we don’t know when, yet, whether we’re going to finish in that spot,’ he said. ‘And so we’ve already planned for either. One in it and one out of it, and obviously if we’re in it we’re back earlier, a few days earlier. If we’re out of it (the Europa League) we come back on July 1, which is one of the smallest close seasons we’ve had in a long time. ‘And even then international players won’t be back on that date, either earlier or on the first of July because they won’t be finished international duties until the middle of June.’ Aaron Cresswell (left) and Mark Noble (right) could be playing Europa League football next season . Conceding late goals in games to drop points has been a trend for West Ham of late, topped off by Mark Arnautovic’s 95th-minute equaliser for Stoke City at Upton Park on Saturday. Allardyce hopes that run of misfortune will end at the Etihad Stadium. ‘It’s been a terrible thing for our results in terms of points to performances in general,’ he said. ‘We’ve got to make sure that we focus and if we’re in that position again (leading late on), don’t show the type of nerves we showed last week. ‘I think we got exceedingly nervous in the last few minutes and made basic mistakes which kept allowing a bit of pressure and Stoke took advantage of it.’
Sam Allardyce's West Ham are top of the Premier League Fair Play table.
The Upton Park outfit could be playing Europa League football next year.
Allardyce has said he's happy to sneak through the ‘back door’ into Europe.
West Ham travel to league champions Manchester City on Sunday.