West Ham United Spark Life into Premier League Relegation Battle
West Ham United are finally injecting some much-needed drama and excitement into the Premier League's relegation fight. After a dismal start to the year with consecutive defeats to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest, the Hammers' season appeared to be all but over. However, a dramatic turnaround has seen them secure back-to-back victories against Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland, pulling them to within just five points of safety.
A Glimmer of Hope Under Nuno Espirito Santo
These recent wins mark West Ham's first triumphs since early November, offering a tentative sign that manager Nuno Espirito Santo might be able to influence their desperate bid to avoid the drop. While the club undoubtedly remains a strong favourite for relegation, the latest round of fixtures suggests the battle at both ends of the table could be tighter than anticipated over the remaining fifteen games.
If West Ham can somehow muster six or seven more victories, they could potentially overtake at least one of the teams currently above them. The question is: which one? Nottingham Forest possess a squad with too much quality to go down, yet they remain frustratingly inconsistent and must also navigate the Europa League knockout stages. Leeds United are in decent form but face a brutal run of fixtures against four of the top five clubs before February concludes.
Crystal Palace currently seem incapable of buying a win, while Tottenham Hotspur have a daunting schedule ahead, facing Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, and Arsenal in their next four matches. Should West Ham end the next month within touching distance of any of these sides, the final stretch of the season could become incredibly unpredictable.
Roots of the Struggle: Stadium, Management, and Sales
The reasons for West Ham's struggles this campaign are multifaceted. A decade after leaving their iconic Upton Park home, the atmosphere at the London Stadium often vacillates between being non-existent and openly hostile. The managerial situation has also been turbulent. Nuno Espirito Santo was appointed in September to replace the underperforming Graham Potter, whose record was poor, losing over half of his 23 league games in charge.
Espirito Santo has not fared significantly better, winning just four of his eighteen league matches and losing exactly half, which places his own position under scrutiny. Compounding these issues, the club's strategy has raised eyebrows. They began the season by selling one of their key assets, Mohamed Kudus, and have just this week parted ways with another crucial player, Lucas Paqueta.
The Paqueta Departure: A Reluctant Sale
Selling your best talent during a relegation dogfight is rarely advised. However, Lucas Paqueta's situation was complex. The Brazilian midfielder had been unhappy at the club for some time and struggled for consistency this season following his clearance from FA match-fixing charges in the summer of 2025. When his boyhood club, Flamengo, submitted a £36.5 million bid this week, the decision to cash in made a certain degree of sense.
A club statement explained the move, citing personal and family reasons for Paqueta's desire to return to Brazil for a fresh start after the significant mental strain of the prolonged misconduct case. The statement noted that despite the club's best efforts to persuade him to stay, his wish to leave was adamant, forcing a reluctant acceptance of his transfer request.
January Transfer Window: A Search for Goals
This January transfer window has not been particularly thrilling for West Ham fans, despite the clear need to add firepower. The club has brought in Fulham's Adama Traore, who reunites with Espirito Santo after their time together at Wolves. However, the Spaniard has a modest scoring record, having netted more than three goals in a season only twice in the past decade.
Striker Taty Castellanos has arrived from Lazio after scoring just twice in Serie A this term. He is joined by Brazilian forward Pablo, who was impressive in the Portuguese league before making his high-profile move to England—a narrative that may sound familiar to cautious supporters.
Green Shoots: Summerville and Bowen Hold the Key
Amid the gloom, there have been some positive developments. Crysencio Summerville has stepped up notably in recent weeks, with ten of his 29 shots this season coming in the wins against Spurs and Sunderland, finding the net in both games. Signed from Leeds United in 2024, the winger was highly regarded but missed much of last season due to a serious hamstring injury.
Getting the ball to Summerville and the reliable Jarrod Bowen in dangerous positions as often as possible appears crucial to West Ham's survival prospects. However, rumours persist that Roma are attempting to sign Summerville before the transfer deadline on February 2nd, a move that would likely be catastrophic for the Hammers' remaining campaign.
With an FA Cup fourth-round trip to Burton Albion scheduled for Valentine's Day, the immediate league focus is on securing a result against Burnley and perhaps nicking something from fixtures against Chelsea or Manchester United. If they can manage that, the impossible might just start to feel possible again in East London.
