West Ham United’s 2025-26 Premier League campaign has reached crisis point. A heartbreaking 2-1 home loss to relegation rivals Nottingham Forest on January 6, 2026, extended their winless run to 10 games, leaving the Hammers rooted in the bottom three and seven points adrift of safety. With 17 matches remaining, the club’s longest top-flight tenure since 2012-13 hangs in the balance, raising serious questions about manager Nuno Espírito Santo’s future and the team’s ability to turn the tide.
A Painful Festive Period
Supporters entered the post-Christmas schedule with optimism. Fixtures against Fulham, Brighton, Nottingham Forest (home), and bottom side Wolves offered 12 potential points to climb the table. Instead, West Ham claimed just one—a 2-2 draw with Brighton after twice surrendering leads.
Defeats included a late winner conceded to Fulham, a humiliating 3-0 loss at Wolves, and the latest setback against Forest. Leading at half-time in the Forest match, West Ham collapsed late, with Morgan Gibbs-White’s 89th-minute penalty sealing victory for the visitors—piling misery on Nuno, Forest’s former manager.
The London Stadium crowd booed the team off, reflecting deep frustration after a season yielding only 14 points.
Alarming Statistics Highlight the Crisis
The numbers paint a bleak picture:
| Statistic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current Points | 14 (from 21 games) |
| Position | 18th |
| Points from Safety | 7 adrift |
| Winless Run | 10 games (4 draws, 6 losses) – first since 2006-07 |
| Points Dropped from Winning Positions | 15 (second-worst in league, behind Bournemouth’s 16) |
| Games Failed to Win When Scoring First | Last 5 |
| Managerial Record (Nuno) | 11 points from 16 games – worst Premier League start for any West Ham boss |
Nuno, appointed in September 2025 after Graham Potter’s sacking, has managed only two victories—back-to-back wins over Newcastle and Burnley in November.
Defiance Amid Despair
Despite the turmoil, Nuno remains resolute. “It’s not over yet,” he declared post-match. “We need to keep believing and sticking together. We understand the fans’ frustration—we feel the same.”
Midfielder Tomas Soucek echoed the call for unity: “Nobody wants to play second division next season. We have to show honesty between each other and be behind the manager until the end.”
New signings debuted in the Forest game—Argentina striker Valentín ‘Taty’ Castellanos started, while Brazilian forward Pablo Felipe appeared as a substitute—signalling ongoing board investment.
Pundit Views and Mounting Pressure
Former West Ham goalkeeper Rob Green, analysing for Sky Sports, delivered a stark assessment: “Ten games without a win—you wonder where the answer is now. They need at least 30 more points for survival, and at this rate, it’s impossible.”
Green predicted change: “I don’t see Nuno staying much longer. Tonight wasn’t the worst performance, yet still no result.”
Board Backing Under Scrutiny
Ownership expresses disappointment but continues supporting Nuno. Recent transfers were manager-led, making an immediate sacking seem inconsistent. However, the growing relegation gap—now seven points—could alter priorities.
Insiders note the hierarchy’s desperation for Nuno’s appointment to succeed, having backed him heavily in the market.
Challenging Fixtures Ahead
The schedule offers little respite: away at Tottenham, home to Sunderland, then a trip to Chelsea. Survival demands rapid improvement.
West Ham’s proud history includes the 2023 UEFA Conference League triumph, making the current predicament particularly galling. Yet Nuno’s message of resilience resonates—football’s unpredictability allows turnarounds.
For now, the focus is unity and hard work. Whether that proves enough to avoid a first relegation since 2011 remains uncertain, but the fight continues at London Stadium.
