Carlton Cole has set himself a goals target for West Ham United before Christmas.

The England striker already has six in the league.

"I'm trying to play well and stay up there with the top scorers in the Premier League," he told WHUTV. "All I can do is keep tucking them away and hopefully I can progress and get to ten before Christmas, because that is my target.

"I always appreciate the fans. The fans are obviously happy and I can feel the vibes when I'm at Upton Park. I'm pleased that they appreciate what I'm doing."

Cole has put his improved goalscoring form down to a combination of factors, including the number of chances being created by his team-mates, his flourishing partnerships with Guille Franco and Zavon Hines, as well as his own work ethic.

"I am always trying to improve my game. I look at videos and see where I should be and where I should have been at the time. I'm trying to increase my threat in front of goal by getting into the right places at the right times.

"There's a lot of improvement in my game to be done, but I'm getting there."