West Ham United face a crucial test in the Premier League this evening as they host Leicester City in David Moyes’ first home game in charge of the Hammers.
The Scottish boss was unable to lead to immediate improvements last week, losing 2-0 to Watford at Vicarage Road, a defeat that saw West Ham remain in the Premier League’s relegation zone.
Victory tonight would, at least temporarily, lift the Hammers out of the bottom three but former Arsenal defender Paul Merson believes it’s a ‘nightmare game’ for West Ham and is predicting further misery.
Writing in his weekly predictions for Sky Sports, Merson said:
‘Massive game, and I’m going for Leicester. I think this is a nightmare game for West Ham. Firstly, they’re not playing well, and Leicester are a counter-attacking team. West Ham have to have a go, and I’m not sure about what David Moyes said about the players after the defeat at Watford.’
‘He criticised some of them for their performances; you say that to the players in the dressing room, don’t come out and say it on your first day! The players won’t be happy with that, no way. If I were a player, I’d be thinking: ‘Come on, tell us in the dressing room, don’t blame us in public.’ I know it was the players’ fault, but there’s a way of doing it. That was poor in my opinion.’
Defeat would increase the pressure on West Ham and leave them in danger of falling further behind in the race to avoid the drop.
