Former West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce believes that the Irons are set to stay in the Premier League at the expense of Nottingham Forest after a momentum shift.
While the mood here in east London is one of optimism after a recent run of good results, the fact is that West Ham United are still in the relegation zone in the Premier League table.
They remain three points from safety and are currently on course to drop out of the Premier League for the first time since 2012.
Things are looking up 😍 So who are we sending down to the Championship?!
Forest? Leeds?……Spurs? 🙏
A graphic asking West Ham fans which team in the Premier League they are going to catch.
Credit: Getty Images/Rob Newell – CameraSport
However, Allardyce believes Forest are destined for the drop because of the way in which West Ham have turned their form around. Three wins from their last five games have given the Irons huge hope.
Forest sacked Sean Dyche because they feared West Ham’s resurgence under Nuno Espirito Santo, who left the City Ground back in September.
They have since appointed former Wolves manager Vitor Pereira but Allardyce – who managed West Ham between 2011 and 2015 – believes they are destined for the drop.
Assuming that Wolves and Burnley are heading down, the ex-Irons chief was asked who he believed would join them in getting relegated.
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“I would have said a couple of weeks ago, West Ham,” he said on his No Tippy Tappy Football podcast.
“But not now. So I say, with a change of manager now, Forest.”
Sam Allardyce coaching Leeds United against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League
Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images
Nottingham Forest break Premier League record in bid to relegate West Ham
There are other teams who could yet be dragged into the mire, of course.
Indeed, West Ham’s bitter rivals Tottenham are in a relegation battle, while Leeds aren’t fully safe yet. One could even argue that Brighton could be dragged in too.
However, most observers would surely suggest the last relegation spot is between West Ham and Forest.
How do these appointments make you feel about the relegation battle? 👀
A split image showing Vitor Pereira and Igor Tudor.
Credit: Getty Images/Marc Atkins/Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto
In a bid to beat the drop at West Ham’s expense, Forest have become the first club in Premier League history to appoint four permanent managers in one season.
Ange Postecoglou followed Nuno, but he was sacked after only a handful games before they appointed Dyche, who has now been replaced by Pereira.
West Ham United could be out of the relegation zone imminently
West Ham have a huge chance to escape the relegation zone over the course of the coming weekend.
Nuno believes West Ham can beat Bournemouth on Saturday, which would then put them level on points with Forest.
Forest then play Liverpool on Sunday – a game they will be expected to lose. If there is a five-goal swing in the goal difference between the two clubs this weekend, West Ham could officially be out of the relegation zone.
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