f I’m honest, I couldn’t quite decide whether Burnley’s win against Leeds United was a good or bad result for West Ham.
Earlier in the morning, my girlfriend had asked what the best outcome for the Hammers would be, and at the time, I thought a draw might suit us best. I’m surely not the only one scanning Premier League results and simply hoping to spot three teams worse than West Ham right now.
So, while Burnley’s win doesn’t help much in that regard, it does at least drag Leeds lower down the table and into the mix. Sunderland were hanging on against Wolves at the Stadium of Light, but at least that result means we’re not completely rock bottom.
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Nuno Faces a Crucial Early Test
Now it’s time for West Ham to do their part. A win against Brentford tomorrow would still leave us in the bottom three on goal difference, but level with Burnley and Brentford on points.
It’s a massive test for Nuno Espirito Santo and his new team of coaches, many of whom were promoted from the academy. The boost a win would give to the club is immeasurable — but a defeat would have everyone staring down into the abyss and heap immense pressure on Friday’s trip to Elland Road.
It’s early days, of course, but patterns are already emerging among the bottom six. Those teams are likely to stay there, even if the order changes. For Nuno, the story is even more intriguing — two of his former clubs are now battling in the same relegation fight.
So, is West Ham vs Brentford a must-win? Mathematically, no. But in terms of club morale, it’s surely a must not lose.