Paudie O'Connor: West Ham hold no fear for Lincoln City, says Imps captain

Paudie O'Connor helped Lincoln City reach the fourth round of the League Cup last season

Lincoln City captain Paudie O'Connor says the League One side have "nothing to fear" in their Carabao Cup third-round tie against West Ham.

For the third time in four years, the Imps have reached the third round of the competition.

They shocked Premier League side Sheffield United in a penalty shootout to set-up the tie with the Hammers.

"It's probably a bit of a step up, but we know we've got quality in the building," O'Connor said.

Talking to BBC Radio Lincolnshire, the defender continued: "We've got nothing to fear, especially being at home.

"We've gone to places like Bristol City, Sheffield United, and Southampton and given a very good account of ourselves on all three occasions, so there's no reason why we can't do the same on Wednesday."

Lincoln boss Mark Kennedy says the League One side will "need to be at their absolute best" if they are add West Ham to the high-profile list of cup conquests.

"It's an outstanding team coming to our home stadium," Kennedy said.

"We are looking forward to it. They have an incredible manager, huge history and we are going to have a a full house.

"They are having an outstanding season with some really impressive results.

"We are going to have to be at our absolute best, our very best, and hope they have an off day.

"But we go into every game believing we can get a result. Tomorrow be no different."

The game at the LNER Stadium will be just Lincoln's second at home in the competition in 11 ties, dating back to a 7-2 defeat by Liverpool in September 2020.

Last season, the Imps reached the fourth round of the League Cup for the first time since 1967-68, and were eventually knocked out by then-Premier League side Southampton.

That run added to the club's reputation as cup specialists, having become the first non-league side in 103 years to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup when they got there as a National League side in 2017.

Hammers are 'outstanding' - Kennedy

West Ham, who last season won the Europa Conference League by beating Italian side Fiorentina in the final, are seventh in the Premier League table after six games.

Kennedy said changes for the cup game are to be expected for Wednesday's visit, but he does not anticipate that opposing manager David Moyes will underestimate the Imps or feel any weight of expectation to beat a side from England's third division.

"I think when you are a top side you don't really feel pressure," Kennedy said.

"They will 100% approach the game as professionally as they were playing Liverpool, and that is why they are where they are.

"It doesn't matter who they play because they are outstanding players, man for man, in every area of the pitch.

"The principles of how David and his teams play shouldn't be too far away from what they do, whoever they play. Barring a couple of tweaks here and there, we are not going to see anything hugely different from what we would expect.

"At the end of the day, there are two big leagues between us. They are an outstanding team."