West Ham boss David Moyes feels the club's status has changed.
The Hammers host fellow Champions League chasers Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday, with Moyes' men in sixth place in the Premier League, two points ahead of their visitors.
"I've enjoyed the games we've had this year," Moyes said. "This competition is really tough, it always is.
"I think the players have handled it brilliantly well, they've performed well in the games, whether we won or drew in them.
"Now it's nearly all the Champions League teams you're playing against, so the competition springs up."
West Ham are to face Sevilla in the Europa League round of 16.
"We won our group, so now we're up against the big boys," Moyes continued.
"There's a lot of people saying that West Ham are favourites and I'll always say, just remember the teams that are dropping down from the Champions League.
"Last year the final was Villarreal and Manchester United, and the year before it was Sevilla and Inter Milan.
"History shows that it's usually one of the teams that drops down from the Champions League which goes on to win it."
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