David Moyes one West Ham United defeat away from ‘serious’ sack pressure despite contract offer at London Stadium
David Moyes will be “under serious pressure” if West Ham lose to Sheffield United on Sunday (21 January), according to journalist Andy Dunn.
The Irons were eliminated from the FA Cup by Bristol City in the third round in midweek and are now winless in three games in all competitions.
Despite reports of a new two-and-a-half-year deal being offered to Moyes [The Telegraph, 29 December], Dunn believes that the Scotsman’s job could be under real threat again with defeat at Bramall Lane.
“There are a number of Premier League managers who are only ever a few defeats away from being under serious pressure,” Dunn wrote in his Sunday Mirror column [21 January, page 67].
“Pep Guardiola is not one of them. Jurgen Klopp is not one of them. Obviously. And neither is David Moyes.
“The West Ham boss is never ‘a few defeats away’ from being under serious pressure… he is always one defeat away from being under serious pressure.
“If the Hammers get turned over by Sheffield United at Bramall Lane today, radio stations will, no doubt, be fielding plenty of calls from West Ham fans – genuine or otherwise – calling for Moyes not to be given a new contract.”
All to play for
Dunn is not far wrong with what he says. Football supporters are a fickle bunch at the best of times, which is no different among the West Ham fanbase.
The mood can change with each game, and unfortunately for Moyes our most recent result was a terrible defeat at Ashton Gate that ended our domestic cup hopes.
Should United be on the end of a defeat to struggling Sheffield United, you can already imagine the reaction from the travelling fans and those watching on TV.
To prove that earlier point, though, a victory would move West Ham within three points of Tottenham in fifth place – surely no supporter could find room to criticise Moyes if that is the case.
Factor in last season’s Europa Conference League triumph, plus the fact United are through to the knockout rounds of this season’s Europa League, and Moyes has some money in the bank.
It has been an up-and-down campaign in many ways, but ultimately we are in a good position to make it another season to remember under the Scotsman.
In other West Ham news, the Irons’ pursuit of a priority January target is now expected to go right down to the wire.
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