West Ham Zone

Paul Merson believes West Ham United can still have a say in the relegation battle up against Tottenham.

The Hammers are sitting within the drop zone right now, but have shown flashes that could help them to survive in the Premier League.

Despite defeat last time out to Aston Villa, the draw against Manchester City and the win away to Fulham were certainly positive.

Spurs are now just one point ahead of Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, and just seven games remain until the end of the campaign.

West Ham and Tottenham are set to battle against each other in the relegation battle, with Merson having his say on proceedings.

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West Ham can pile massive pressure on Tottenham

The opening half of the season under Graham Potter was terrible in E20, but things have probably been worse across the capital in North London.

Spurs have a shocking record this season and have shown no signs of improving anytime soon, even after the sacking of Igor Tudor.

Roberto De Zerbi has now come in and will face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light in his first encounter with the Lilywhites.

That certainly won’t be easy against a side coming off the back of a massive away win in the Tyne-Wear derby against Newcastle United.

Things could be made even more difficult for Tottenham as ex-Arsenal man Merson believes West Ham can pile pressure on their relegation rivals with a win against Wolves.

Speaking via Sky Sports News, he said: “This lad is a top, top manager that a lot of clubs would have, they would have him. But they’ve had good managers, they’ve had very good managers and look where they are, 17th in the league.

“When they play Sunderland, the worst thing that could ever happen to them is if West Ham beat Wolves [two days before] because when they drop into that bottom three, it’s a different game, a very different game then, and then the pressure is severely, severely on them.”

West Ham will first play Leeds United in the FA Cup and will hope they can seal victory and the inspiration to go on and beat Wolves at the London Stadium.

Should West Ham worry about Roberto De Zerbi?

Remaining in the Premier League is massive for both West Ham and Tottenham, so any small advantages will be massive.

Things certainly weren’t working out under Tudor, so the Lilywhites had to blink and make a managerial change before it was too late.

De Zerbi has the Premier League experience, but is certainly most well known for being a hot head and isn’t afraid to simply quit when things go against him.

That is what the Hammers need to play into, and by securing a win against Wolves, they can rile him up before he’s even started in North London.

The Italian will be a worry if he gets Spurs ticking, but with their recent results and performances, I’m not sure how likely that is.

West Ham fans took their chance to take a dig at Tottenham after beating Fulham on Wednesday.

Crysencio Summerville scored the only goal of the evening at Craven Cottage, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side taking all three points in West London.

Nottingham Forest picked up a 1-1 draw away at Manchester City, meaning that the Hammers haven’t quite climbed out of the bottom three just yet, though only goal difference separates the two sides.

Ahead of their clash with Crystal Palace on Thursday, Tottenham sit just a point ahead of West Ham and Forest in 16th, while they remain winless under Igor Tudor.

As far as Hammers fans are concerned, Spurs are vulnerable.

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West Ham fans take opportunity to swing at Tottenham

After beating their rivals 2-1 earlier this year, fortunes have drastically changed for both West Ham and Tottenham, with the Hammers’ recent run of form since the win in North London seeing them climb to within touching distance of an escape.

Tottenham, meanwhile, have continued to slide, with Thomas Frank sacked last month, before his replacement has started his tenure with two losses against Arsenal and Fulham.

As reported by Peter Smith from Craven Cottage on Sky Sports’ live online coverage of the game, Hammers fans took their chance to swing at Spurs, with now just a point separating the two sides.

“We’re coming for you, Tottenham Hotspur, we’re coming for you,” sang the travelling contingent in West London.

After the morale-boosting win against Fulham, West Ham have a break from league action this weekend as they host Brentford in the FA Cup.

While the competition is far from the priority given the current predicament, there is a chance for Nuno’s side to keep on gaining momentum amid the ongoing relegation battle.

West Ham must keep up the pace after Fulham win

The Hammers’ recent win at Fulham was massive, with West Ham now sitting behind Nottingham Forest on goal difference.

Had the result panned out differently at the Etihad, they would even be out of the bottom three, but they must keep up the pace.

For Hammers fans, the most favourable option would be to see Tottenham face the drop, though that remains out of their control given that both fixtures have been played between the two sides this season.

West Ham and Forest have both matched each other’s results consistently in recent weeks, and the result at Manchester City showed a clear improvement under Vitor Pereira.

Nuno’s side must take momentum from Wednesday’s win, and keep up the pace moving forward.

West Ham legend Martin Allen has stuck the boot into old adversary Tottenham.

Allen joined West Ham from Queens Park Rangers in 1989 and went on to play more than 230 games for the club, scoring 35 goals along the way.

His passion, persistence, grit, and fearlessness earned him the title of Martin ‘Mad Dog’ Allen amongst supporters, a nickname he still carries to this day.

Allen left the Hammers for Portsmouth in 1995 but his affinity with West Ham shows no signs of abating.

Indeed, when an X user asked what place do you have no desire to visit again, Allen simply tweeted, “Tottenham”.

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West Ham need to harness Martin Allen’s fight to stay up

When Allen was in his heyday, the midfielder bestrode the Upton Park field like a colossus, acting as an enforcer in the centre of the park.

Fast forward to the present, and some of West Ham’s identity has, arguably, been lost following their move to London Stadium.

Coupled with growing dissent against the club’s owners and going through a raft of managers, ill-feeling is not hard to find at West Ham this season.

However, after looking down and out only a few weeks ago, Nuno Espirito Santo‘s side have given themselves a chance to beat the drop.

After three Premier League wins from their last five games, 18th-placed West Ham are now just three points from safety.

They are now a mere five points adrift of 16th-placed Tottenham, a side they beat 2-1 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 17 January to kickstart this upturn in form.

Next up, they host Bournemouth on Saturday. If they win that, their hopes of staying up are well and truly alive.

Crysencio Summerville will be key to West Ham’s survival

When winger Crysencio Summerville swapped Leeds United for West Ham in the summer of 2024, there was a great deal of excitement about the winger.

His pace, dribbling ability, and assuredness in front of goal ensured he claimed the Championship Player of the Season award in 2023-24, but Summerville would then struggle to make the grade in the Premier League.

While injuries have not helped the 24-year-old’s cause, in the past couple of months, Summerville has been West Ham’s best player.

Summerville is almost single-handedly leading West Ham’s charge to stay in the Premier League this season, with the wideman’s goals proving to be very timely.

West Ham will hope he can keep this up for as long as possible as we head into the final third of the season.

Jarrod Bowen faces ‘biggest decision of his career’ at West Ham as Tottenham ready bid

Jarrod Bowen has been a beacon of light at West Ham in a difficult period.

Bowen came so close to scoring against Leeds United last time out, with his flash of brilliance bringing the away side level.

West Ham went on to lose 2-1 at Leeds, plunging Nuno Espirito Santo into early uncertainty in his role as Hammers boss.

The Irons currently sit 19th in the Premier League and are in desperate need of inspiration, but Bowen will have one eye on the 2026 World Cup England squad.

Bowen could see a move away as his best chance of making a name for himself on the international stage, and could prompt an imminent London Stadium exit.

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Tottenham ready to make Jarrod Bowen bid

The East Londoners are in a tough spot right now after going six Premier League games without a win under both Nuno and Graham Potter.

Should Bowen leave West Ham, they could easily face relegation even if 29 games remain at this stage of the campaign.

The skipper is easily the most consistent player in claret and blue and regularly drags his side through difficult days.

The frustration surrounding the Hammers right now could prove to be too much even for the Englishman.

Bowen could see this as an opportunity to leave the London Stadium, with Fichajes reporting on 29 October that he is facing “the biggest decision of his career”.

Tottenham have emerged as a landing destination for the forward should he depart West Ham in order to chase higher ambitions away from the widespread problems in claret and blue.

The Lilywhites are prepared to offer £52million for Bowen as they look to convince the Irons to part ways with their captain and star player.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank loves what he’s seen from Bowen

When facing the Hammers, it is likely that the ex-Hull City man is seen as their main threat and as someone who needs to be nullified.

That often doesn’t work as Bowen manages to impact games on a weekly basis in claret and blue.

Thomas Frank certainly falls into the camp of picking out the Englishman and did so throughout his spell at Brentford.

The Dane has since joined Tottenham and could look to bring Bowen to N17 after describing him as “unplayable” after he netted a hat-trick against the Bees previously.

The head coach also described the wideman as “really, really good” and West Ham’s “main threat” following previous meetings, underscoring his positivity toward the Irons’ captain.

‘Sad moment’ – What West Ham target Nuno Espirito Santo has said about time at Tottenham

West Ham continue to be linked with Nuno Espirito Santo as Graham Potter’s time in East London looks to be coming to an end.

West Ham currently have a free run at Nuno, with the Portuguese manager currently out of work after being sacked by Nottingham Forest last month.

He was dismissed in the East Midlands after multiple public falling outs with the controversial owner

Evangelos Marinakis and said that their relationship was no longer the same as last season.

However, David Sullivan and Nuno look to be apart in their valuations, and the ex-Tottenham manager could head elsewhere should the Hammers keep stalling.

What Nuno Espirito Santo has said about Tottenham since leaving

West Ham fans were left disappointed by the defeat to Crystal Palace, with big changes demanded following their fifth loss of the season.

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Sullivan has been asked to step down as West Ham chairman, but remains in his post and is set to examine the managerial situation in the October international break.

With former Tottenham boss Nuno a big favourite for the job, supporters will be pleased with how he has put behind his poor form in North London since leaving in 2021.

Speaking during his time at Nottingham Forest, he said: “No, no regrets, it happened. It was a pleasure to be at Spurs, things didn’t go well so we move forwards.

“Things didn’t work out for many situations there. I was honoured to have the chance to manage at Spurs, maybe it wasn’t the right moment for me to go there.

“I have learned from all moments of my life and all the experiences I have had. They (Spurs) are some also. The moment was a sad moment, but life keeps on going.

“It is going to be a pleasure to return, to play there and to face Spurs. It is part of the past now, I am focused on Forest and am determined to try to achieve a good performance.”

West Ham will want to avoid Tottenham’s mistakes

Nuno wasn’t given enough time to show his capabilities at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It has been shown since he left how much of a struggling side he inherited, and should he join West Ham, he would be walking into an even worse side.

The Hammers must give him time.

Nuno brought immediate success to Tottenham, winning Manager of the Month in August 2021, before their slump in form saw him sacked after just 121 days.

At the time of his dismissal, Spurs were in a healthy eighth place and had won five of their ten Premier League games.

Sullivan should go all out for the 51-year-old and also give him plenty of time to get the players going.

Mohammed Kudus has made an enemy out of the West Ham fanbase this summer.

Kudus left West Ham for rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a £55million deal, a transfer that has made him vilified in East London.

In his announcement video, Kudus said he wanted to move to Tottenham all summer, a statement that proved to be a dagger to Hammers fans’ hearts.

The Ghanaian made his return to the London Stadium on Saturday, as West Ham lost 3-0 to Spurs, where Graham Potter was criticised yet again for his poor tactics.

Kudus was booed on his return by West Ham fans, but he made a surprising gesture towards his old boss and teammates.

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Mohammed Kudus embraces Graham Potter before kick-off

Potter’s future has dominated the aftermath of the derby defeat for the Hammers, as Nuno Espirito Santo has been lined up as a potential replacement for the former Chelsea boss.

However, he received a warm embrace from his former star before kick-off, as Kudus ran over to the Hammers’ dugout to give Potter a hug.

He then went to his former teammate Lucas Paqueta and embraced him as well, expressing that he holds no ill feelings towards his old teammates.

The fans, however, were not so forgiving, even cheering as a ball boy refused to give the ball back to Kudus for one of the many corners taken by the away side.

To them, the embraces with Paqueta and Potter will be seen by fans as a lack of understanding of the rivalry between West Ham and Tottenham.

Mohammed Kudus made great decision to leave West Ham

Kudus’ decision to leave East London was met with hefty criticism by Hammers fans, who will feel that their former star has backstabbed them by leaving for one of their biggest rivals.

While leaving for a side that finished below them last season sounds strange out of context, the Ghanaian has made the best decision for his career by leaving.

West Ham are a complete mess at the moment, and are not going anywhere under their current set-up, and most fans will admit that.

The only anger fans can hold against Kudus is the team he has departed for, as leaving for anyone other than Tottenham would be met with much less frustration.

West Ham United are struggling under Graham Potter this season.

West Ham lost 3-0 to Tottenham at the London Stadium on Saturday, where Tomas Soucek also saw red for a bad challenge on Joao Palhinha.

The result has left the Hammers in the relegation zone on goal difference, having conceded the most goals in the Premier League this season with 11.

The pressure on Potter is growing by the day, with the media slamming him for his decision-making against Spurs, especially defensively in the second half.

West Ham criticised for poor defending on corners

Pape Matar Sarr opened the scoring at the start of the second half with a header at the back post from a Xavi Simons corner.

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It was West Ham‘s fifth goal conceded from corners this season already, while Cristian Romero also saw a headed effort from a Mohammed Kudus delivery controversially disallowed for a push.

West Ham’s defending from corners this season has seen heavy criticism come towards Potter and his coaching staff for their set-piece set-up, with the Hammers constantly opting for zonal marking.

Writing for The Guardian, Jacob Steinberg has questioned the former Chelsea manager, aiming to understand what West Ham are doing at their Rush Green training ground.

Steinberg said: “Graham Potter hunted for positives. The good news, he reckoned, was that West Ham defended the first nine or 10 set pieces from Tottenham pretty well.

“Hooray. Progress. Unfortunately, the zonal marking system was utterly abysmal when the unchallenged Pape Matar Sarr headed Spurs into the lead after 47 minutes.

“It was a pathetic concession; West Ham’s fourth from a corner this season. What are they doing at Rush Green? Mads Hermansen is not commanding his area, and the centre-backs are poor.

“West Ham lag behind other clubs when it comes to innovation. With direct football making a comeback, why have they not considered hiring a set-piece coach?”

West Ham need to go back to basics

The Hammers have been atrocious at the back this season. There’s no other way to put it.

You cannot concede from set-pieces almost every game and expect to stay in the Premier League, especially when the three teams that have just come up from the Championship have been much better than the three promoted teams were last season already.

Steinberg rightly questioned what they are doing at the training ground, as the zonal marking system is clearly not working, yet Potter chooses to persist with this form of defending.

The Englishman needs to rip up the tactics book and start from scratch, as the way the Hammers are going, there is only one outcome, which leads to Potter’s sacking and West Ham’s relegation.

West Ham United suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

West Ham were beaten 3-0 by Spurs at the London Stadium after Tomas Soucek was sent off early in the second half for a bad challenge on Joao Palhinha.

The pressure on Graham Potter has risen tenfold following the defeat to Spurs, with the former Chelsea man helpless to prevent another heavy defeat, following the 5-1 thrashing at home against the Blues.

However, following the defeat, new signing El Hadji Malick Diouf has added fuel to the fire with some strange behaviour on social media.

El Hadji Malick Diouf sends love to Pape Matar Sarr after defeat

After the defeat against Tottenham, Diouf sent a message to his Instagram story pleading with fans to keep faith and that it will take time to get back on track.

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However, without too much notice, the Senegalese international was seen interacting with Spurs midfielder Pape Matar Sarr on social media.

Sarr, who scored Tottenham’s opener early in the second half from a deep corner, posted a picture of himself celebrating with the caption: “This is how we bounce back. Let’s go.”

Diouf, strangely, replied to his international teammate in the comments with two love heart emojis, despite both the defeat and the bitter rivalry between the two sides.

West Ham players need to get their priorities straight

A message to an international teammate is a nice touch from Diouf, but the timing of the comment couldn’t have been worse.

Given how much West Ham and Tottenham fans dislike each other, the Senegalese defender should be more cautious and consider messaging him privately to avoid media backlash.

However, the biggest issue is the fact that he has done this straight after a 3-0 home defeat that has left the Hammers in the relegation zone, with 11 goals conceded already in the first four games.

Diouf can redeem himself with his performances on the pitch, but he needs to be careful about his social media actions to stay onside with the Hammers faithful.

West Ham United are a mess right now.

West Ham lost 3-0 at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, as goals from Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall, and Micky van de Ven ramped up the pressure on Graham Potter.

El Hadji Malick Diouf arrived at West Ham from Slavia Prague this summer and has been one of the only shining lights at the London Stadium this season.

After the crushing defeat to Spurs, which is the Hammers’ second straight heavy home loss, following West Ham’s 5-1 defeat to Chelsea, Diouf has sent a rallying cry to supporters.

El Hadji Malick Diouf pleads with West Ham fans to keep the faith

West Ham‘s second-half collapse against bitter rivals Spurs has sent any hope from Hammers fans of a revival down the drain.

There had been hope restored after West Ham’s late 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest before the international break that Potter could still lead a successful season.

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But defeat on Saturday has seen questions on Potter’s credentials re-emerge, but Diouf has come out asking Hammers fans for patience.

On his Instagram story, the Senegalese international has said: “It won’t be easy, just stay together, it’s just the beginning.”

Things are looking bleak at the London Stadium

Diouf has rightly come out in support of his manager, showing that there are figures in the dressing room who still back the former Chelsea man to turn around a sorry state of affairs in East London.

However, privately, there will likely be an acknowledgement that this current form cannot stand, with the Hammers dropping into the relegation zone following their London derby defeat.

Things are beginning to look bleak for Potter, and soon the Hammers hierarchy may see that the Englishman is working on borrowed time.

A win against Crystal Palace at the London Stadium is desperately needed to save the ex-Brighton boss.

Graham Potter has had a dismal spell as West Ham United manager.

West Ham were thrashed 3-0 by bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur at the London Stadium, making it three heavy defeats in four Premier League games this season.

Tomas Soucek was sent off for West Ham, while goals from Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Micky van de Ven piled on more pressure on a beleaguered Potter.

West Ham’s 3-0 victory at Nottingham Forest before the international break looked to be the catalyst for a Hammers revival this season, but Potter looks all but done after what was spotted by the BBC cameras.

Graham Potter looks bewildered on the sidelines during Tottenham defeat

Many questions have been asked over Potter’s position in the Hammers’ hotseat since the back end of last season, with fans disgruntled with a lack of solid results.

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That pressure has only intensified since the opening day hammering at Sunderland, with West Ham being unable to adequately defend at all this season, having conceded 11 goals already.

With another heavy defeat, Potter failed to respond effectively, especially after Soucek’s red card, and Ashley Williams has pointed out how the under-fire manager looked as though he had no answers.

Asked about whether Potter is under pressure on Match of the Day, Williams said: “Absolutely, and even when they cut to him during the game, it doesn’t look like he has the answers, he seems a little bit baffled on the sideline.”

Graham Potter has to go as West Ham manager

After the win at Forest, it looked as though there was a chance that Potter could revive his Hammers spell after an incredibly poor 2025 so far, with just two home wins.

However, that win brought false hope, and now the justified questions are being raised yet again, with a need for a change in results quickly before the Hammers get cut adrift.

Potter has been failed by the Hammers hierarchy in terms of arrivals, with only El Hadji Malick Diouf impressing so far, but there’s still a huge portion of blame to be pointed at the former Chelsea manager.

For the sake of West Ham’s survival hopes, Potter needs to pack his bags, but whether he walks or is pushed is another story.