Eighteenth position in the Premier League then, at Christmas, is not how [Nuno](https://www.claretandhugh.info/dont-believe-a-word-of-it-west-ham-smoke-mirrors-as-nuno-tries-transfer-misdirection/) would have seen his first four months in charge of West Ham United. Flatlining with just two wins since Graham Potter’s departure, the challenge is probably far greater than the Portugese head coach imagined when he signed on the line just weeks after being dismissed from the Nottingham Forest position.
Leeds United have now put clear blue water between themselves and the Hammers with an emphatic 4-1 win over Crystal Palace moving them six points clear of relegation zone mired West Ham.
And as if he didn’t have enough on his plate, Nuno’s challenge is about to get that much more difficult.
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Losing first team full backs Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf for five weeks to AFCON is trouble enough – but the Portugese coach had more disturbing news last night after his left back was forced off with what looked like a hip flexor or hamstring issue:
_“I’m worried about how he is now. I’m worried about this \[latest injury\] now,”_ Said Nuno
_“With the absence of Malick and Aaron, we are going to need Ollie and Kyle to step up and help us_”
Has to be said that third choice academy stand-in Ezra Mayers did a half decent job but by the time he appeared Cherki had run Scarles left back ragged and the game was lost. It was always going to be tough for Ollie Scarles, having not started a game in over two months and it seems his body may have paid the price.
A short turn around before the first of West Ham’s crucial ‘winnable’ fixtures – against Fulham on 27th – means Mayers may be about to get a whole load more game time than he imagined.