Nuno Espirito Santo is clinging onto his job at West Ham following reports he is on the brink of losing the dressing room.
The Hammers face one of the biggest games of their season when they host fellow relegation rivals Nottingham Forest at home on Tuesday evening.
A defeat could see the West Ham board decide to end Nuno’s short tenure, with two wins from 15 matches. It would also leave them seven points adrift in the bottom three.
He currently heads the betting in the Premier League sack race after Ruben Amorim was given the axe at Manchester United on Monday.
Nuno Espirito Santo Losing West Ham Dressing Room
West Ham chiefs have been eager to give the former Forest boss time to turn around their form, which is reflected by their backing in the transfer market.
Nuno has rolled the dice by transforming his attack following the £50million arrivals of Taty Castellanos and Brazilian striker Pablo Felipe.
However, their hands could be tied with reports that he is in danger of losing the support of his players due to his questionable man-management skills.
According to the Guardian, Nuno has been “distant” and “uncommunicative” around the training ground. There has been a clear lack of communication, and it has left certain players unclear on tactics and where they stand in the squad.
The report adds that Nuno has barely spoken to certain players since his appointment at the end of September.
There is also confusion and despondence over the handling of certain players who feel they have no chance of forcing their way into the squad, no matter the results on the pitch.
For example, midfielder James Ward-Prowse has yet to make a matchday squad since Nuno’s appointment.
There’s also the question of tactics, with players feeling as though they are being played out of position with no clear sense of direction.
West Ham endured a disastrous first-half showing against rock-bottom Wolves at the weekend, who won their first game of the campaign.
Who Could Replace Nuno At West Ham?
Slaven Bilic is currently leading the betting in the next West Ham manager market.
The Croatian knows the club inside out, having previously managed them for 111 games over 30 months before departing in 2017.
The 57-year-old has been without work since August 2024, when he left his role at Saudi Pro League club Al-Fateh.
Any deal is likely to be on a short-term contract until the end of the season, when the club will then reassess their options and league position.
Bilic already revealed how he held talks with club chiefs when they sacked Graham Potter and just how close he came to being named the new West Ham manager.
Gary O’Neil is also one of the names in the running, but is also in discussions to replace Liam Rosenior at Strasbourg.
Ex-Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick and Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna could also be in the mix.
