by David Moyes still has West Ham board support but will not receive significant funds to bolster his struggling side in January, with the next three games seen as crucial to his future.
Moyes is facing mounting pressure and a growing sense of unease within the fan base following Friday’s disheartening defeat to Brentford. But Telegraph Sport understands the board remain keen to stand by the manager who defied expectations by taking them to the semi-finals of the Europa League last season.
The defeat at the London Stadium was West Ham’s fifth successive Premier League defeat and Moyes actually admitted later that he is now facing a fight for his job.
West Ham have been booed at half-time and full-time, and Moyes is now struggling to win over dissenting supporters despite the club’s remarkable progress under his leadership in recent seasons.
The threat of relegation has now become real for West Ham, who have accepted in their financial report this week that a descent into the league is a “serious but plausible scenario”.
Latest standings (bottom six)
It was since April 2017, under Slaven Bilic, that the club had not lost five consecutive games in the Premier League. And not since October 2005, with Everton, had Moyes endured an equally painful run of results in the top flight.
West Ham’s next three league games are against fellow strugglers Leeds United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton. Their results in those games could shape the rest of their season and have a major impact on Moyes’ future.
Moyes said after the defeat to Brentford that he understands why he is under pressure now. When asked about speculation about his future, he said: “I don’t think it’s unfair because the business we’re in means that if you go to five games without winning, you could always be under pressure. I understand it perfectly. You feel bad when you lose one, when you lose two, let alone five. This is football”.
West Ham were amongst the biggest spenders in the league in the summer which has only raised expectations for Moyes and his players this season.
But most of these new signings are yet to make a big impact, with the likes of Lucas Paqueta and Gianluca Scamacca struggling to justify their huge transfer fees thus far. Form problems from centre-back Nayef Aguerd and winger Maxwel Cornet have not helped West Ham’s cause.
