[West Ham](https://www.claretandhugh.info/report-sounds-spurs-warning-as-relegation-reality-bites-west-ham-news/) fans will have cheered up somewhat with the suggestion being made today that a big Manchester City points deduction is going to play a huge part in this season’s relegation battle.
Claims have suggested that _Citeh_ would find themselves on the wrong end of a massive Premier League points deduction before this season is out – meaning of course that West Ham’s precarious current position of eighteenth could be altered by any Manchester City punishment for the 115 charges outstanding against them.
That’s the claim from [Londonworld.com,](https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/west-ham-united/west-ham-handed-relegation-lifeline-5611219) quoting ‘football finance expert’ Kieran Maguire:
_“The numbers involved we are not certain about but they are likely to be quite significant. I think you have to add a zero to what we’ve seen in terms of Forest and Everton, so somewhere between a 40 and 60-point deduction would be, on merit to be consistent with what we’ve seen with other decisions, would make a lot of logic.”_
However the possibility of ‘City’s points deduction having them placed last – and thus saving West Ham from relegation – ignores the reality of any appeal which would be certain to follow, tying up the process for months, if not years more.
In any case, three years has elapsed since the charges were first laid by the FA so there’s no reason to expect them to finish their ‘private’ deliberations conveniently (for West Ham!) by the end of May.
Hoping that a massive Manchester City deduction will save West Ham’s season seems a bit like hoping for a lottery win to pay a tax bill – and probably just as likely. That’s the reality facing supporters who’d better hope the Hammers stay ‘up’ in the usual way – by getting more points on the board.