West Ham midfielder is hoping for revenge on Saturday against Reading after a controversial clash at the Madejski earlier in the season

West Ham midfielder Julien Faubert has thrown down the gauntlet to Reading ahead of Saturday’s promotion showdown by saying the Royals have no respect for the Hammers.

The 28-year-old France international was part of the team that were thumped 3-0 at the Madejski Stadium back in December when both Joey O’Brien and Jack Collison were red-carded and he was not impressed by what he witnessed.

“It wasn’t a good day, but we will make a bad day for them when they come as they don’t respect us,” he said this week.

“They tried to do some crazy things on the pitch and they don’t respect us so we are waiting for them to come to give them bad things on Saturday.”

Faubert is hinting at the controversial moment during the first game when winger Jimmy Kebe taunted the Hammers by pulling up his socks mid-dribble, an action that resulted in Collison lashing out and being sent off.

“I am not the only one to think about this because we have been waiting for this for a long time, but now we are ready and we want to win this game definitely – that is what is going to happen,” he added.

As if the game wasn’t big enough already, those sorts of words are likely to fan the flames of rivalry between the two for a game where if the Hammers can win, they will leapfrog the Royals back into the automatic promotion positions.

West Ham midfielder Gary O’Neil is hoping that the team can find the home form that will pay Reading back for the earlier defeat.

“We haven’t lost to many sides this year so getting beat 3-0 at Reading is something that the lads will want to put right,” he insisted, after the 2-2 draw at Peterborough on Tuesday.

“There is only one real focus and that is to finish in the top two and we need to win on Saturday to give ourselves a chance.

“That is the only motivation that we need.”

If West Ham are to win their first home game since February 4, then they are likely to do it without Abdoulaye Faye and Joey O’Brien.

Both were replaced at half time at London Road with Faye suffering a head injury and O’Brien a thigh strain.

Faubert is likely to start, though Guy Demel is fit, while Jack Collison will come back into contention.

Saturday’s game is simply the biggest of the season so far and though it may not be decisive, whoever wins will have a huge psychological advantage.