Credit: Imago

Scott Mason

Thu 30 April 2026 16:10, UK

Nuno Espirito Santo deserves plenty of praise for where he has West Ham United positioned in the Premier League after their early-season woes.

Dropping down to the Championship looked almost destined at one point. The Hammers had just 14 points from the opening 19 matches.

The Irons now are currently out of the drop zone, but not by much. Just two points separate West Ham and Tottenham, and there are set to be plenty of twists and turns yet.

Fixtures are not the kindest ally either, with Brentford, Arsenal, Newcastle and Leeds United all still to come in the run-in.

However, Nuno has shown vast improvements at London Stadium, and it is evident by West Ham’s 2026 form in the Premier League.

How 2026 West Ham would fight for Europe

West Ham will want to get back to fighting for European places after experiencing one of their greatest nights in modern club history in the Conference League.

As it stands, the Irons look to be well off that pace based on the overall seasonal results, with poor decisions mounting them in a relegation battle.

But with Nuno at the helm, there could be hope that the E20 outfit can ascend back to those positions they so desperately crave.

Since the turn of 2026, the Irons have accumulated 22 points, which would place them in eighth place if the league kicked off on 1 January.

The points-per-game total lands at 1.46, with the Hammers also having a plus-one positive goal difference as well.

It would leave them just four points off the Champions League places and a further eight clear of the relegation zone.

However, that will only make Nuno’s job much harder from next season if relegation is avoided, as expectations must surely begin to rise.

West Ham need just a few key signings to push for Europe again

It might sound outrageous now, but the Hammers have a squad filled with plenty of talented players who really should not be battling relegation.

Mateus Fernandes, Crysencio Summerville and Jarrod Bowen are all of interest to sides battling for Europe in the summer window, showcasing they are not at a side matching their levels.

Meanwhile, Axel Disasi has proved he is still capable of playing at a high quality in the Premier League. If the Frenchman is kept, the Irons will be in good stead.

Overall, the Irons could do with a better defensive midfielder and perhaps a goalscoring striker. Taty Castellanos and Pablo have been instrumental, but neither has shown that prowess in the final third yet.

Of course, there are other positions over the pitch that will need strengthening as well, but having a quality front three, alongside a midfield bank of Fernandes and another number six, with a colossus such as Disasi at the back is a spine that could keep the Hammers out of trouble.

Put all together, with a manager that has West Ham in European form and a strong base to the squad, the Irons are not far off returning to where fans expect.

But first, they must secure all three points this weekend, with the supercomputer predicting Brentford versus West Ham.