**West Ham lost 2-0 to Aston Villa on Sunday to remain in the Premier League’s relegation zone.**
Nuno Espírito Santo’s side were comprehensively beaten at Villa Park in their final game before the March international break. The Hammers never looked like getting a result against Unai Emery’s side and have lost some ground on their relegation rivals.
It was a disappointing performance and result from the Irons, who have really built up momentum over the last two months. Following wins against Brentford and Fulham and a draw against Man City, West Ham fans have started to hope. But Sunday’s encounter brought them back to reality.
In North London, two of the Hammers’ relegation rivals faced off as Spurs hosted Nottingham Forest. And, to most people’s surprise, the visitors thumped Igor Tudor’s side 3-0.
The Croatian has had a torrid time at the helm since replacing Thomas Frank, but Spurs’ recent win against Atlético Madrid appeared to have given their fans optimism going into this encounter.
However, they were outclassed by Vítor Pereira’s Forest, who now climb to 16th, two points ahead of Spurs and three ahead of West Ham. Leeds’ point at Brentford means they are now four points clear of the Irons with seven games to go.
The international break is now upon us, and it has probably come at a good time for Nuno’s side. While the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Tomáš Souček represent their countries, the remaining players can regroup ahead of two massive home ties against Leeds and Wolves in the FA Cup and the league respectively.
Additionally, the break gives key man Crysencio Summerville extra time to recover from the injury he sustained in the FA Cup tie against Brentford. The Hammers really struggled in the Dutchman’s absence against Villa.
West Ham simply must beat Wolves, who, despite a resurgence, still sit bottom of the table. Although a semi-final at Wembley awaits if Nuno’s side see off Leeds, Premier League survival must be the priority.
That same weekend, Spurs travel to Sunderland, Forest host Villa and Leeds take on Man United at Old Trafford. These upcoming fixtures provide the Irons with a golden opportunity to escape the bottom three, even if only for a week. But they must beat Wolves first.
West Ham have shown great spirit in recent months, proving they have what it takes to secure survival this season. Hopefully, today was just a blip. But after the break, West Ham need to be raring to go. Because if they don’t pick up wins in their final few games, they will be relegated this season.