West Ham United will 'keep fighting' says Pablo Fornals as they prepare to host Chelsea in a crunch derby encounter this weekend.

The Hammers saw their Champions League hopes hit by a 3-2 defeat at relegation-threatened Newcastle on Saturday, after defender Craig Dawson was sent off, which left them just a point ahead of their London rivals, who have a game in hand.

Liverpool are a further point back in sixth, after a 1-1 draw at Leeds on Monday, but Spaniard Fornals told whufc.com: "It’s the same as from the first day we arrived here this season, we’ll keep fighting and enjoy the process as it’s been an unbelievable season for all of us, and all of the fans.

"I think we have to bring our emotion, our good vibes and feelings, because that’s what has brought us here.

“From today, there are a lot of things to change, to improve, but with one less man we kept passing the ball, tried to go forward and there were good things to keep doing too.

"I think we did enough to get at least one point, that this is football. We’ll learn from this and keep fighting.”

Angelo Ogbonna returned to the starting line-up for David Moyes' side at St James' Park, after nearly 10 weeks out with an ankle injury sustained against Manchester United in the FA Cup.

And after falling 2-0 behind due to Issa Diop's own goal and a Joelinton effort, the Hammers rallied after the restart to level as Diop struck at the right end and Jesse Lingard converted a penalty.

Joe Willock snatched a late winner for Newcastle, though, and Ogbonna told whufc.com: "It was a fantastic game, to be fair. Most of the time we were better than them, even in the first half, but then we conceded two goals.

East London Advertiser: Newcastle United's Allan Saint-Maximin and West Ham United's Angelo Ogbonna battle for the ball during the Premier League match at St James' ParkNewcastle United's Allan Saint-Maximin and West Ham United's Angelo Ogbonna battle for the ball during the Premier League match at St James' Park (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

“But in the second half the reaction of the team was fantastic and the effort was fantastic with one man down and we equalised. In the end we lost, but I think the effort was there and it was really amazing.

“It wasn’t the plan to play 90, I think, but I finished the game without any kind of reaction and the guys helped me a lot, so it’s good to be back.

“We need to keep going and keep pushing and in the end we will see what we can achieve.”