The first of the midweek Premier League fixtures saw West Ham vs Nottingham Forest end 1-2 in a pivotal tie to avoid relegation. The end result saw Nottingham Forest climb seven points clear of the relegation zone, but what does this mean for West Ham?
West Ham vs Nottingham Forest: The Implications
Many West Ham fans had previously noted that this week, with fixtures against Wolves and Nottingham Forest, was a pivotal one and one that they should use to obtain points. However, this ended up as a round of fixtures that saw the Hammers lose the West Ham vs Nottingham Forest game after another defeat to Wolves.
After the loss against Wolves, the pressure regarding the Nottingham Forest match was amplified. However, not only did they not obtain the three points, but to see West Ham lose against Nottingham Forest in such a manner late on in the match with a controversial penalty will be damaging for both players and fans.
Although there are still 17 matches to go in the Premier League, many Premier League fans have indicated that there is an inevitability that both Wolves and Burnley may be relegated. Therefore, with West Ham seemingly cut adrift and on a ten-game winless run, many are feeling that the Hammers’ fate is inevitable as well.
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West Ham Lose Against Nottingham Forest: The End of Nuno?
After West Ham lost to Nottingham Forest and Wolves, this may have provoked many clubs to dismiss the manager. Although Nuno is not obtaining results, early indications in the transfer market, as well as other factors, indicate that he may be staying.
The Hammers have already spent around £50 million on two strikers, Taty Castellanos and Pablo Felipe, as well as agreeing the mutual termination of Callum Wilson’s contract, in a bold move. Furthermore, reports suggest that the Hammers are interested in Al Nassr goalkeeper Bento, to provide competition for Alphonse Areola.
Therefore, many of the players linked with West Ham are Portuguese-speaking and, due to the money spent, this indicates that the owners are planning to back Nuno Espirito Santo, and allow him to have some influence over transfers.
Although these players have some useful credentials, West Ham’s recruitment has left fans with some questions, even taking into account Nuno Espirito Santo‘s influence over transfers. The Hammers are also interested in Adama Traore from Fulham who, although he has a good relationship with Nuno, has been noted as a welcome departure from Fulham as fans were underwhelmed by his performances.
Although the Hammers did require additional recruitment up front, fans have questioned the decision to allow Callum Wilson, who has Premier League experience, to depart, opting for two strikers with no Premier League experience. This also brings into question Nuno’s decision to axe James Ward-Prowse from the side, who also has significant Premier League experience.
Furthermore, although Bento may be a useful signing for West Ham, fans are questioning whether recruitment priorities are correct, with many indicating that they would prefer the club to recruit a centre-back. Max Kilman is one player at the heart of defence who has been particularly underwhelming for the Hammers, despite his price tag.
Seeing West Ham lose against Nottingham Forest appears to be a pivotal moment in the race to avoid relegation, especially due to the fact that West Ham have matches against Sunderland, Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester United on the horizon. Although there are still 17 matches for them to avoid their fate, it appears to be seemingly unlikely due to the results that they may require.
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Credit: IMAGO / NurPhoto
Recording Date: 06.01.2026
