West Ham United are in the heat of a relegations fight. The Hammers are currently in the bottom three, three points below Nottingham Forest, who, for now, have the cushion of safety. Despite their current predicament, Nuno Espiritio Santo’s team have begun picking up the points, with three wins in their last five Premier League games.
Former manager, Sam Allardyce believes the Irons will remain the in the top flight, at the expense of Forest, who have just appointed their third boss of the season in Vitor Pereira.
Speaking on his podcast, No Tippy Tappy Football, he backed West Ham.
“I would have said a couple of weeks ago, West Ham,” on who will get relegated.
“But not now. So I say, with a change of manager now, Forest.”
Big Sam’s West Ham tenure
Big Sam Allardyce took over West Ham on the last occasion they were in the Championship. After bringing in some former Bolton Wanderers favourites like Jussi Jaaskelainan, Kevin Nolan and Riccardo Vaz Te, he guided the Irons back to the Premier League, with the latter scoring the winner in the playoff final.
From 2011 to 2015, Allardyce kept the Hammers at a steady pace in the Premier League, leaving in 2015, the season prior to the club leaving Upton Park. That season, West Ham would qualify for Europe after finishing seventh, following Manchester United’s FA Cup win that year.
From Allardyce’s point of view, his tenure in London was a successful one, despite it being blighted with questions about his team’s style of play. The sentiment is mostly shared by West Ham fans, Big Sam came in and did the job he was asked to, get the Irons up, and keep them there.
West Ham’s current situation
After a season of on-field turmoil, West Ham are currently in the bottom three. The predicament isn’t great but the teams form over the last month, is. Nuno’s men have won three of their last five Premier League games and are just three points behind 17th Forest.
The Hammer’s play fellow in-form side AFC Bournemouth on Saturday, looking to close that gap as quickly as possible. A trip to Liverpool follows before heading across London to take on Fulham, a game the Irons will believe they can win.
An FA Cup rest-bite with Brentford covers the first weekend in March, when West Ham will hop to have improved their league position.
