West Ham defeat bittersweet as David Moyes spotted at Manchester City
David Moyes will have watched on with mixed emotions having been in the crowd for West Ham United’s 4-1 loss at Manchester City.
On beIN Sports’ broadcast (4 January), Moyes was spotted speaking to Steve Cooper in the stands at half-time with City already two goals up, against a Hammers side on their way to another heavy defeat.
Since succeeding Moyes with Julen Lopetegui at the London Stadium last summer, the Irons have now conceded three or more goals in eight of their 20 Premier League games, leaving Lopetegui on the brink.
The Hammers re-hiring Moyes for a third time looks unlikely, but having seen a lot of the foundations he built come undone, the Scot’s presence will leave fans yearning for the glory days of not too long ago.
David Moyes presence reminds West Ham what they’ve missed
Moyes watching on as several of his former players – namely Vladimir Coufal – were run ragged by a previously out-of-form City side will have left the 61-year-old wondering what might have been.
Since the Scot departed from East London, the Hammers’ hierarchy has granted Lopetegui over £130million to spend in last summer’s transfer window, but much of that outlay is yet to bear fruit.
Promised as a next step from the solid, safety-first approach of Moyes which had become maligned towards the end of his tenure, Lopetegui’s set-up thus far has proven to be anything but solid.
As a result, the Spaniard’s new-look side languishes in mid-table despite their significant summer of activity, and Lopetegui is under severe pressure with potential replacements already lined up.
Turning to Cooper – a manager sacked by relegation-threatened Leicester – wouldn’t go down well, but at the moment, it seems having anyone but Lopetegui in charge, particularly Moyes, would be popular.
In other West Ham news, Pep Guardiola and Julen Lopetegui had contrasting responses to an incident in the first half at the Etihad.
For more West Ham news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp channelfor instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.