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West Ham winger Stewart Downing insists winning is all that matters in the Barclays Premier League and that pretty football is no guarantee against relegation.
The Hammers and manager Sam Allardyce were booed last Wednesday after the crucial 2-1 defeat of Hull.
"We found it all a little bit strange, winning the game and getting booed off," said Downing, who was speaking ahead of Monday's vital clash at Sunderland.
"In this game it's all about results. It wasn't pretty but the big thing is we got the points because it moves us closer to safety.
"In the situation we're in the most important thing was to get the win, especially against a team that was in and around us.
West Ham: The latest match picturesShow all 74 1 /74West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham: The latest match pictures Everton 2 West Ham 1 Andy Carroll started his first game for West Ham since May - he's been struggling with an ankle injury
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West Ham: The latest match pictures Everton 2 West Ham 1 Ross Barkley goes down under a tackle from Hammers skipper Kevin Nolan
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West Ham: The latest match pictures Everton 2 West Ham 1 Romelu Lukaku fired in the opener for the Toffees in the first-half
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West Ham: The latest match pictures Everton 2 West Ham 1 James Collins and James McCarthy get in each others' faces
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West Ham: The latest match pictures Everton 2 West Ham 1 Mauro Zarate celebrates after eqaulising for West Ham, his first goal since the opening day of the season
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West Ham: The latest match pictures Everton 2 West Ham 1 Leon Osman celebrates what turned out to be the winning goal at Goodison Park
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Tottenham 0 Emmanuel Adebayor looks on frustrated during his team's defeat
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Tottenham 0 Stewart Downing celebrates his goal with teammates Andy Carroll and Mark Noble
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Tottenham 0 Stwart Downing puts West Ham two up with a free kick
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Tottenham 0 Mohamed Diame clears the ball in acrobatic style
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Tottenham 0 Andy Carroll celebrates after West Ham take the lead, the goal would go down as a Harry Kane og
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Tottenham 0 Referee Phil Dowd shows Younes Kaboul a red card
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Brom 1 West Ham 0 A portion of the West Ham fans display their displeasure over manager Sam Allardyce
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Brom 1 West Ham 0 Mohamed Diame dribble with the ball
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Brom 1 West Ham 0 Guy Demel holds off a challenge from Chris Brunt
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Brom 1 West Ham 0 Andy Carroll plays a ball across the Baggies' box but fails to find a teammate
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Brom 1 West Ham 0 Saido Berahino celebrates his opening goal with his teammates Stephane Sessegnon and Chris Brunt
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Brom 1 West Ham 0 Saido Berahino wheels away after firing home the Baggies' opener
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 0 Crystal Palace 1 Andy Carroll looks on dejected
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 0 Crystal Palace 1 Mile Jedinak celebrates with his teammates after putting Palace ahead from the penalty spot
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 0 Crystal Palace 1 Andy Carroll climbs above Damien Delaney to head an effort at goal
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 0 Crystal Palace 1 Winston Reid shields the ball from Cameron Jerome
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 0 Crystal Palace 1 The teams observe a minutes applause for West Ham player, 20-year-old Dylan Tombides who died following a three-year battle with testicular cancer
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West Ham: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 1 Kim Kallstrom leaps for the ball last night, when he made an encouraging start for Arsenal after a long injury lay-off
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West Ham: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 1 Lukas Podolski hammers in Arsenal's third
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West Ham: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 1 Oliver Giroud puts Arsenal ahead with his weaker right foot after showing sublime touch to get the ball under control
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West Ham: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 1 Oliver Giroud kisses the Arsenal badge after giving the Gunners the lead
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West Ham: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 1 Lukas Podolski equalises with a precise, powerful finish
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West Ham: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 1 Players, fans and officials observe a minute's silence to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster prior to kick-off
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 1 Liverpool 2 Steven Gerard leads Liverpool's celebration after scoring his second penalty of the afternoon
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 1 Liverpool 2 Adrian appears to win the ball but brings down Jon Flanagan too and referee Anthony Taylor awards Liverpool their second penalty
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 1 Liverpool 2 Steven Gerard tries to chase down Mohamed Diame
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 1 Liverpool 2 Raheem Sterling and Pablo Armero compete for the ball
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 1 Liverpool 2 Liverpool players protest against Guy Demel's equaliser after Andy Carroll appeared to foul goalkeeper Simon Mignolet
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 1 Liverpool 2 Luis Suarez's chipped effort hits the bar
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 1 Liverpool 2 Luis Suarez hits a free kick over the bar
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West Ham: The latest match pictures Sunderland 1 West Ham 2 Andy Carroll celebrates after his header opened the scoring
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West Ham: The latest match pictures Sunderland 1 West Ham 2 Sam Allardyce the West Ham manager and Gustavo Poyet the Sunderland manager react during the Premier League match at the Stadium of Light
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Hull City 1 Sam Allardyce responds to West ham fans booing at the final whistle of their 2-1 victory over Hull
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Hull City 1 Mohamed Diamé is fouled by Hull keeper Allan McGregor, who was sent off
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Hull City 1 Mark Noble celebrates after demonstrating his trademark coolness from the penalty spot
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West Ham: The latest match pictures Stoke 3 West Ham 1 Stoke players celebrate going 3-1 up
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West Ham: The latest match pictures Stoke 3 West Ham 1 Marko Arnautovic puts Stoke up
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West Ham: The latest match pictures Stoke 3 West Ham 1 Andy Carroll and James Tomkins celebrate going ahead in front of the Stoke fans
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West Ham: The latest match pictures Stoke 3 West Ham 1 Andy Carroll heads West Ham in front
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West Ham: The latest match pictures Everton 1 West Ham 0 Romelu Lukaku scores a late winner for Everton
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 3 Southampton 1 Kevin Nolan acrobatically scores West Ham's third goal
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 3 Southampton 1 Carlton Cole puts West Ham 2-1 up against Southampton at Upton Park
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Norwich 0 West Ham take on Norwich
West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Norwich 0 The Boleyn Ground before kick off
West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Norwich 0 Mark Noble competes for the ball
West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Norwich 0 Sam Allardyce gesticulating weirdly
West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Norwich 0 Guy Demel holds off Leroy Fer
West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Norwich 0 Chris Hughton gesticulating to his players
West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Norwich 0 James Collins opens the scoring
West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Norwich 0 Mohamed Diame scores the Hammers' second goal
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Norwich 0 West Ham celebrate their second goal
West Ham: The latest match pictures Aston Villa 0 West Ham 2 Kevin Nolan celebrates scoring for West Ham against Aston Villa
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West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Swansea 0 Jonathan de Guzman goes past Stewart Downing
West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Swansea 0 Kevin Nolan scores the first goal
West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Swansea 0 Kevin Nolan celebrates his goal
West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Swansea 0 Kevin Nolan scores the second goal
West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Swansea 0 Kevin Nolan celebrates his second goal
West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Swansea 0 Andy Carroll is sent off
West Ham: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Swansea 0 Nathan Dyer challenges Guy Demel for the ball
"We just play effective football to get results. When I was at Liverpool we played nice football but we finished eighth.
"There's no point playing good football and getting relegated. I did that with Middlesbrough."
Downing hopes for a more positive reaction from the Upton Park faithful in the next home game.
"Players always hear it, especially playing at home," he said.
"I've had worse than that before: I've been at England games when there's been booing and that's 90,000 people.
"It can affect players and it puts people off their game. The more experienced people deal with it better.
"You need your fans onside. We've not given them much to shout about and it's been a difficult season.
"They've stuck with us all the way through and I'd ask them to stay with us right till the end. If we keep getting results we'll stay in the Premier League.
"Hopefully the next (home) game, Liverpool, we can give them something to cheer about and all will be forgotten."
Downing started the season at Liverpool, who are in title contention, but now finds himself embroiled in a battle at the bottom of the table. He has had no second thoughts over his move.
"Good luck to them," he added.
"The big thing for me was to play. At my age you need to be playing regularly. I've done that when I've been fit here.
"No regrets on that part. We've still got Liverpool to come and we might have a say in the title race."
Downing, who had a short loan spell at Sunderland from Middlesbrough early in his career, knows victory at the Stadium of Light could secure the Hammers' top-flight status.
But, in an unpredictable season, he is not resting on his laurels.
He added: "We should just get as many wins as we can on the board. Don't think one more game will be enough because we could easily get dragged back in again.
"It will be massive for us if we beat Sunderland. They've got games in hand, but difficult games.
"They need points desperately and if we can get a win it probably deflates them a little bit."
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