Gary Neville tells West Ham players to ‘think again’ as Christmas dinner to be disrupted
Gary Neville fears for West Ham United on the back of this weekend’s results in the Premier League.
West Ham are embroiled in a relegation battle under Nuno Espirito Santo, as they currently sit in 18th place with five points separating them and Nottingham Forest in 17th, who have a game in hand.
David Sullivan is under intense pressure from West Ham fans, and the recruitment over the last decade simply hasn’t been good enough.
However, the January transfer window represents a huge opportunity for the Hammers to add some much-needed quality to their starting lineup.
Following West Ham’s 3-0 defeat to Man City, former Manchester United defender Neville sent the players a message that should have them even more worried about their Premier League status.
West Ham need to take note of Leeds’ impressive form
West Ham are in the relegation zone at Christmas for the fifth time in Premier League history, but they’ve avoided relegation on the two previous occasions they weren’t bottom (18th in 2006-07, 19th in 2009-10).
Despite this, the signs are certainly troubling, and the ex-Man United defender spoke on the Gary Neville Podcast on 21 December about how Leeds’ revival could have disastrous consequences
He said: “I think West Ham, Fulham, Nottingham Forest will be looking at Leeds and feeling uncomfortable.
“Four weeks ago, they would have thought that Leeds would join Burnley and Wolves in being cut adrift at the bottom.
“Those clubs need to shape up, because if they think they can’t go down, then they need to think again. They’ll be feeling disrupted going into their Christmas dinners.”
| Team | League position | Games played | Points |
| Fulham | 15th | 16 | 20 |
| Leeds | 16th | 17 | 19 |
| Nottingham Forest | 17th | 16 | 18 |
| West Ham | 18th | 17 | 13 |
Four weeks ago, Leeds were in freefall and looked set to be cut adrift in the relegation zone with Wolves and Burnley.
However, after earning eight points in the last four games, the latest result being a 4-1 win over Crystal Palace, Daniel Farke’s side have risen to 16th and simultaneously punished West Ham’s poor run of form.
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West Ham’s next four matches will define their season
The Hammers are winless in the last six matches, but they have the perfect opportunity to make that right.
Their next two games are at the London Stadium, where Fulham and Brighton will travel to E20 in search of a win to close out their year in style.
Fulham are in 15th, while Brighton are incredibly inconsistent, and it kickstarts a period where points simply can’t to be dropped.
Games against 20th-placed Wolves and relegation rivals Nottingham Forest follow suit, and losses could leave them facing an uphill battle.
It’s imperative that Nuno wins these games and is given the tools to strengthen the squad in January.
Otherwise, West Ham’s 14-year stay in the top flight will surely come to an end.
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