Former Premier League striker Kevin Campbell has backed David Moyes to revive West Ham’s fortunes amid pressure on the manager.
The east London outfit head into the international break in 18th place having suffered their fifth loss of the campaign last weekend at Everton.
Neal Maupay’s second-half strike ensured that the Toffees walked away with their first win of the campaign at the Hammers’ expense.
Stretching back to last season, it now leaves Moyes’ men with just two victories from their last 14 league games with a victory over Aston Villa this term preceded by the defeat of Norwich, who finished bottom of the table, in May.
The run of results has led to mounting pressure on the manager, who has admitted that he felt the team’s form declining as far back as February.
However, while acknowledging that Moyes’ task would be made more difficult if he loses the supporters’ backing, Campbell has tipped the Scotsman to overcome this troublesome period.
Campbell backs Moyes to get West Ham going
The 52-year-old told Football Insider: “Of course there’s pressure on him. But if ever there was someone who could put this right, it’s David Moyes.
“If you notice, teams who rise from nowhere – there will always be bumps in the road.
“West Ham have had a great run in Europe, their form in Europe is very good. There are too many good players at the club for them to not move on up the table. There’s too much quality.
“But if the West Ham faithful turn on Moyes, then it makes it more difficult. But I believe they will be fine.”
He’s done it before
Having spent around £160m in the recent transfer window, perhaps West Ham fans will point to that as an argument that the manager is underperforming. However, given what he has done since his return to the club, Moyes at least deserves time to try and steady the ship once again.
After he was reappointed as Irons manager in December 2019 with the club in a relegation battle, the 59-year-old guided West Ham to safety and then led them to a sixth-place finish in his first full season back in east London, earning European football by virtue of league position for just the third time in the club’s history.
Having finished last season in seventh, the aim would have been to keep their place among the European positions once again. While it hasn’t been the best of starts to the season by any stretch, Moyes has certainly shown in his time at the London Stadium that he’s capable of turning the tide.
