DECLAN RICE admits West Ham only have themselves to blame after their fading hopes of Champions League qualification were almost certainly extinguished.

The high-flying Hammers had designs on reaching European club football’s premier competition for the first time having enjoyed a fine season under the management of David Moyes.

But Saturday evening’s frustrating 1-1 draw at lowly Brighton left the east London club five points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea with just two games remaining.

Influential England midfielder Rice is now focused on securing a Europa League place while trying to break the club’s record Premier League points tally of 62.

“It’s obviously horrible because we had Champions League spots in our sights and we can’t really be relying on other teams around us to be losing and picking up draws,” he said.

“We need to go out and be winning, it’s on us if we want to do that.

“As of late, we’ve drawn too many, we’ve lost a few games as well and if you want to be competing for the Champions League, you need to win the games that we’ve lost.

“At one stage it looked possible but that’s football, we’re still going to be upbeat.

“We’re on 59 (points) now, we can finish on 65 if we win our last two. That would be West Ham’s best ever season and hopefully some sort of Europe.

“There are plenty of exciting times to look forward to.”