Manuel Pellegrini will be backed by West Ham as he fights to turn around the club’s nightmare run of form.
But error-prone reserve keeper Roberto could be replaced in January after another poor display at the weekend.
Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Burnley means £10million-a-year Pellegrini has now presided over a run of six games without a Premier League win – leaving the Hammers just two places above the drop zone.
The last time the club went on a run as bad Slaven Bilic was replaced by David Moyes in 2017. It could get even worse for Pellegrini with West Ham set to face Spurs, Chelsea , Arsenal and Wolves after the international break.
But the east Londoners’ hierarchy are understood to be fully behind Pellegrini having supported him to the tune of around £180million since he and director of football Mario Husillos arrived at the club 17 months ago.
(Image: Clive Brunskill)
The Hammers have a recent history of allowing managers to honour their contracts. Both Bilic and Moyes were replaced after their deals had come to an end.
West Ham’s fans, however, are worried that Pellegrini has shown nothing to suggest he is capable of ending their current slump.
The Irons have lost four of their last five having been beaten in just one of the previous 11. To make matters worse, they are set to be without key midfielder Manuel Lanzini.
The Argentine – who missed most of last season with a serious knee injury – suffered a fractured collarbone and needed oxygen before being carried off on a stretcher following a foul by Burnley’s Ashley Westwood.
(Image: Alex Livesey)
West Ham’s poor run is a far cry from September when they pulled off a stunning win over Manchester United . At that point they were level on points with third-place Leicester , unbeaten in six games in all competitions and had not conceded in 433 minutes.
Since then they have been in freefall with their vulnerability at set-pieces a feature of their poor performances. Five of their last six goals have been conceded from corners or free-kicks with Roberto in particular at fault.
First-choice keeper Lukasz Fabianski, returns from a hip injury in January. In his absence Roberto has struggled, ending an abysmal display at Turf Moor on Saturday by punching Westwood’s corner into his own net.
There is disquiet within the club that the 33-year-old has now conceded 15 goals in his last six starts and is transmitting his nervousness to the team’s defence.
Husillos, sacked by Malaga after overseeing their relegation from La Liga in 2018, is understood to be adamant that Roberto retains the quality to be a hit in the Premier League.
He and Pellegrini wanted to sign the Spaniard in the summer of 2018 to make him West Ham’s No 1. Fabianski was instead signed for £7m and quickly made the no.1 shirt his own.
