Mark Noble knows he risks landing one of the great unwanted hat-tricks in football if West Ham are awarded a penalty against Liverpool - but he is up for the challenge.

Noble, who yesterday celebrated his 22nd birthday, has seen his last two spot kicks saved against Hull in January and most recently by Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech.

But this feisty east Londoner will not willingly step aside, even if he is told to by boss Gianfranco Zola.

He said: "Obviously, I've missed two in a row and it's possible someone wants to take them now but if that happens, it happens.

"The manager hasn't said anything to me but if I was told to let someone else have a go, then so be it.

"All I can say, though, is that if I was playing in a World Cup Final tomorrow I would still be up for taking a penalty.

"I would have been more devastated had I blazed it wide or over the crossbar but Petr Cech made a good save.

"Obviously, I was gutted after the game but it happens, it's life.

"It may be a strange way to think but the way I looked at it was that I had just missed a penalty against one of the best sides in Europe but no one got killed. There are boys my age dodging bullets out in Afghanistan so let's keep things in perspective.

"I'm a West Ham fan myself so I know how much it means to people but it's not life or death, is it?"

Noble has already packed in almost 100 senior matches for West Ham since he made his debut aged 17 and is already one of the longest-serving players at the club.

He has also been a constant in the second half of the season, while his other midfield partners such as the energetic Valon Behrami, Scott Parker and Jack Collison, have fallen by the way side with various injuries.

"There are times when I feel a bit tired," he added. "Perhaps that's because I've had two seasons now of 30-plus games and my body is slowly adjusting to that workload. By the time I'm in my mid-20's I should be able to absorb that kind of schedule without feeling the fatigue.

"I feel good in myself now, though, and really confident at the moment and I just hope that carries me through to the end of the season."

Noble is aware that next season may well be even more demanding if West Ham finish in seventh and qualify for the new Europa League.

Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson is unlikely to be the club's owner for much longer after admitting he has personal liabilities of £300million meaning Zola is likely to have to rely on the squad he already has. "We have a lot of young players at the club now and there are more yet to come," Noble said.

"I know some people are wary of the new Europa League but as a squad, that is what we're aiming at.

"We're progressing all the time. Last season we would have probably drawn last weekend's match at Stoke but we won it. I think that proves we are ready to qualify for Europe."

When Liverpool last came to Upton Park, Noble scored from the spot to give his side a 1-0 win.

The Reds can reclaim top spot from Manchester United and skipper Steven Gerrard said: "We will keep going until the end. We won't surrender when we're so close. Winning the title with this club would mean the world to me.

"We have got world-class players, we have turned in some fantastic displays of attacking football and some really solid defensive performances.

"We have got absolutely everything you need to be successful at the very highest level."

Liverpool have major doubts about midfielder Xabi Alonso, who is still suffering from the leg injury sustained in Joey Barton's red-card tackle.

But Fernando Torres should be back from a groin problem.