Jeff Stelling reacts to latest West Ham United win in Premier League live on Sky Sports
Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling has stated live on air that the West Ham United win over Fulham at Craven Cottage last weekend was a “huge boost” to their survival hopes.
David Moyes once again eased calls for his sacking with a scrappy if unspectacular 1-0 win against Fulham on Saturday (8 April) that took the Hammers up to 14th in the Premier League table, three points clear of the relegation places.
The Hammers face another huge test of their credentials when they host league leaders Arsenal at the London Stadium on Sunday [16 April] and Stelling speaking live on Sky Sports News discussed the Hammers’ chances of safety.
“West Ham’s win at Craven Cottage last weekend was a huge boost to their survival hopes,” he said on Sky Sports News. [15 April, 13:25] “It certainly wasn’t pretty.”
Difficult tests
Indeed, last weekend’s result at Craven Cottage was huge for Moyes and his side building a healthy gap between themselves and the drop zone, but West Ham United can ill afford to rest on their laurels as they face a difficult test against Arsenal on Sunday.
How West Ham United will pick themselves up against the Gunners who are playing such scintillating football right now is very uncertain.
On paper, the Hammers should have enough to trouble Arsenal, especially on their own turf but the way this season’s gone, the Gunners are expected to run away with the victory at the London Stadium, plunging Moyes into further relegation trouble.
How the former Everton boss approaches this encounter will be very intriguing but we can almost predict how they will tactically fare, with the Irons sitting back and soaking up pressure before trying to break on the counter.
Mikel Arteta has certainly found ways this season to nullify those kinds of threats which means Moyes may have to think of another way to beat the Gunners.
However, as he has proved on numerous occasions this season, he is not tactically flexible and fails to adapt to the players at his disposal which could mean an unlikely win on Sunday is almost impossible. Still, stranger things have happened in the Premier League.