The question on everybody’s lips, ahead of Monday night’s clash between Premier League strugglers West Ham United and Wolves, was; Who would survive the dreaded ‘El Sackico?’
Well, as things stand, both, it would seem.
TBR understands that Gary O’Neil has one game left in the Wolves dugout at least. And while speculation over Julen Lopetegui continues to swirl at West Ham United, there is no indication yet that the Spaniard is even walking the plank, yet alone sinking beneath the waves.
Now, given that some sections of an unhappy Hammers fanbase appear to have made their mind up on Lopetegui already, this may be a case of preaching, not to the converted, but to the wildly-uninterested.
But maybe, just maybe, there is reason to believe that Lopetegui can turn things around.
West Ham have not exactly fallen off a cliff under his stewardship, after all. More like standing still. And while it is the lack of progress which has frustrated many – the ending of the David Moyes era was supposed to signal a bolder, brighter future – the fact remains that West Ham are actually no worse off in the Premier League than they were 12 months earlier.
In fact, they are actually faring a little bit better.
Jarrod Bowen of West Ham United celebrate with Tomas Soucek after scoring the first goal during the Carabao Cup Second Round match between West Ham...
Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images
Stats show reason for optimism under Julen Lopetegui at West Ham
This time last season, West Ham had 15 points and a goal difference of minus thirteen. Flash forward to mid-December 2025, and West Ham have 18 points on the board and a goal difference of minus eight.
Now, no one is framing this as a success. West Ham are still mired in 14th place with a squad which, on paper, should not be glancing up at the likes of Fulham, Brentford and Bournemouth.
But with as many wins in their last seven [three] as they had in their first ten games under Lopetegui, the tide may be turning, albeit slower than most would like. West Ham showed excellent resolve, even if Lady Luck was smiling down on them, during the 2-1 win over Manchester United which saw Erik ten Hag speed over the line in the proverbial ‘sack race’.
West Ham were excellent in that 2-0 away triumph at Newcastle; Lopetegui shuffling his pack and rewarded for his chances as Carlos Soler’s introduction sparked their most impressive display of the campaign.
West Ham really should have won at the King Power too too – Ruud van Nistelrooy admitted the ‘unbelievable’ Mads Hermansen saved Leicester as Foxes conceded only once from over 30 attempts on goal – but went some way to exercising those ghosts with a clinical dispatching of Wolves on Monday night.
A night which, if you believe the reports, was supposed to represent Lopetegui’s last stand. Maybe, just maybe, it will instead go down in the Hammers history books as the spark of a new beginning.
“Sometimes we can start this kind of week having doubts, and thinking that maybe we can lose, so that’s why I am happy with the reaction of the team,” Lopetegui said after Jarrod Bowen’s stunning winner followed up Tomas Soucek’s opener.
“They showed that they have a strong mentality and this is a good way for the next step.”
West Ham’s new signings starting to make their mark
PSG loanee Soler is making his presence felt after a slow start. Better days should be on the horizon for Jean-Clair Todibo and Guido Rodriguez once they settle into life in England, while Niclas Fullkrug’s consolation effort at Leicester felt like a massive step forward for the £27 million centre-forward after an initial few months blighted by injury.
West Ham have bonafide matchwinners in Bowen and Mohammed Kudus, too, plus the ever-improving Crysencio Summerville. Harness their talents, get more out of those summer signings, and use that Wolves win as a springboard, and perhaps Lopetegui is not as doomed as some would have you believe.
TBR understands that, even though ex-Porto boss Sergio Conceicao is keen on the West Ham job, Lopetegui retains the support of chairman David Sullivan.
“[Building on that Wolves victory] is to be tough too for sure,” Lopetegui added ahead of this weekend’s difficult trip to the South Coast. “Bournemouth are a very, very good team and they are having a very, very good time.
“So we have to be ready to go there, to compete and to be able to overcome all the difficulties again as a team. We we have to stay focused for the next challenges.”
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