Julen Lopetegui sack timeline drops at West Ham in delusional new verdict
West Ham United are “delusional” to expect good results against Newcastle and Arsenal and should give Julen Lopetegui time, Paul Merson has said.
Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian reported on 20 November that the Irons’ results against Newcastle and Arsenal over the next 10 days will determine Lopetegui’s future.
However, Merson reckons it is unrealistic to expect the Spaniard to take points from those two, with the game at Leicester on 3 December potentially costing him his job instead.
“If you are counting on Lopetegui to turn it around against Newcastle here and Arsenal next, you are delusional,” Merson wrote in his Sportskeeda column [21 November].
“I don’t think he will be there long-term, but he still has time.
“West Ham have a clash against Leicester coming up in two games’ time, that’s a cup final and if he does not win, he won’t be in the job.”
Julen Lopetegui running out of time at West Ham United
West Ham hoped Lopetegui would take them to greater heights when they replaced David Moyes ahead of the 2024-25 season.
However, things have not gone according to plan at the London Stadium, with the Hammers sitting fourteenth in the table, just five points above the relegation zone.
There have been shouts for Lopetegui to be sacked before things got worse, but David Sullivan has continued to back him [Simon Stone via BBC], although patience is now wearing thin.
The East London outfit face Newcastle at St. James’ Park in the Premier League on Monday [25 November] and it is hard to see them coming away with all three points.
Eddie Howe’s side go into the game on the back of a three-game winning streak across all competitions, having beaten Arsenal and Chelsea in the process.
The Gunners, meanwhile, will be determined to avoid further slips ups when they visit West Ham on 30 November after falling nine points behind table-toppers Liverpool.
Lopetegui could be counting the days away.
In other West Ham news, the Irons are the “most receptive” to signing this PSG star ahead of the January transfer window.
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