West Ham United skipper Kevin Nolan has warned about being sucked into the relegation battle after defeat to Reading.

Nolan insisted that during the previous four seasons no-one outside of the top four are safe in the Barclays Premier League until close to the end of the campaign.

The 30-year-old said: "In the Premier League no matter where you are unless it's two games to go and you're in the top 10 you don't not look behind you.

"I think if you can include Everton [and Arsenal] with the top four all the rest of the teams could be around [the relegation place], a few losses and you're all dragged back into it.

"It's just the way it is, the way the league has been the last three or four years."