WEST HAM will get the chance to validate Matthew Upson’s claim that they will soon be competing for a Champions League place when they take on Chelsea at Upton Park on Saturday.

The Hammers’ defender boldly predicted last week that the club are capable of disturbing the Premier League’s top four in seasons to come.

An impressive 1-1 draw at Aston Villa helped to back up the England international’s forecast, but the visit of Guus Hiddink’s resurgent Blues will be the real acid test as to the accuracy of those claims.

Chelsea are riding on the crest of a wave, having seen off Liverpool to book their place in the Champions League semi-finals, before adding another date to their calendar on May 30, when they will meet Everton in the FA Cup final at Wembley, after beating Arsenal in the last four at the weekend.

And with midfielders Scott Parker (groin) and Radoslav Kovac (thigh) struggling to be fit for the clash, the Hammers will once again have to rely on their youth and versatility to cope with the threat from Frank Lampard and co.

If both Kovac and Parker fail to prove their fitness, Neill will slot in alongside Noble for the fourth game running, and will be asked to protect the back four, which could be missing the presence of James Collins, who limped off with a calf injury against Villa.

West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola admitted it will be a ‘special’ occasion when he steps out to face the club for the second time as an opposing manager.

The diminutive Italian will be using his head to try and disappoint the visiting fans, rather than dazzling them with his feet, as he did for so many years down at the Bridge.

He has already masterminded a draw in Chelsea’s back yard earlier this season, and he will be giving it everything to record a similarly notable result this time around.

“I’m looking forward to Chelsea,” he insisted. “It’s going to be a great game, it’s very important to us. It’ll be special and, hopefully, we’ll perform as well as we can do.”

Craig Bellamy scored during the 1-1 draw back in December, but the club will have to find a new source of goals, with leading scorer Carlton Cole still out of action through injury.

The task will fall to David Di Michele and Diego Tristan – who scored only his second goal for the club in the team’s draw with Aston Villa on Saturday – to shoulder the scoring responsibilities against the Blues.