Defeat to Tottenham last week has left West Ham United in relegation trouble and it is going to take a huge effort from the East Londoners to retain their Premier League status. After an own goal and a Harry Kane strike condemned the Hammers to a fourth defeat in their last five games, time is beginning to run out for David Moyes’s side to secure another season in the top-flight. Moyes, who returned to the club in December last year, has failed to halt a slide down the table which led to the sacking of Manuel Pellegrini.
Are West Ham United in relegation trouble?
Time running out
West Ham only have two wins in 2020, which tells its own story. Hammers fans who were promised by the board they would be competing for European football this season have been left disappointed. West Ham have flattered to deceive for the past few seasons, but no team are ‘too good to go down’ and with the Championship becoming more competitive at the top end there is no divine right for an instant return.
Currently sitting outside the bottom three only on goal difference and with no wins or goals scored since the league re-started it’s hard to see how Moyes can lead the Hammers to safety if one of the three sides below them starts to win games. On his side is the fact Norwich appear to have too much to do in order to retain their status, while both Bournemouth and Aston Villa are also struggling to pick up points, but having to rely on the other sides around you is a dangerous game to play.
Concern
The run-in for the East London side is rather mixed but compared to Bournemouth and Villa it’s certainly more favourable and having to face two of those sides below them might just be enough to help them out of danger. A concern for Moyes will be the lack of goals that will be needed to win a game. Mikhail Antonio worked hard pulling the Spurs centre-halves all over the pitch, but a lack of support left the Hammers scoreless despite a couple of good half chances for Pablo Fornals. Jarrod Bowen worked hard to try and fashion some opportunities, but the Hammers are lacking a natural goal-scorer which explains why they sit where they are in the table, averaging not much more than a goal a game.
Injuries have disrupted the season, Jack Wilshire and Lukasz Fabianski have been big misses. And now time is running out to ensure Premier League football is still on offer at the London Stadium.
Home advantage
With three games in seven days coming up at the beginning of July, Moyes will be looking for his side to pick up at least four points but with home advantage not proving to be as useful as it is with fans inside the stadium, there is just as much chance of picking up points at Newcastle as winning both their games on home soil.
While the other clubs around and below them are struggling to string any kind of results together West Ham might just survive and once again this summer face a decision of which direction the club now needs to go, Hammers fans will not be happy to endure another season of struggle while all their London rivals are competing at the other end of the table.
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