Moyes does not have the confidence of the West Ham management, will Lopetegui replace him?

Manager David Moyes has taken responsibility for West Ham’s black run, but lamented that sometimes the players have to take responsibility too. The Scottish coach apologized to the fans for Sunday’s 0:5 debacle, which United suffered in the 36th round of the English league in the London derby at Chelsea. Even Czech representatives Tomáš Souček and Vladimír Coufal, who played the entire match, did not prevent the second five-goal allocation from consecutive away games.

The end of the season is suffering for the “Hammers”. Out of the last ten competitive matches, they have won only once, with four draws and five defeats. The streak also includes a Europa League quarter-final exit with Leverkusen. Due to the position in ninth place in the Premier League, the team is coming to terms with being absent from the European Cup next year.

“We’ve played too many games this season where we haven’t shown any toughness, cohesion, leadership or performed well,” 61-year-old Moyes told Sky Sports. “I’m the manager so I take it upon myself, but sometimes the players have to take responsibility too.”

In the last home match, Souček and Coufal’s team drew with title contender Liverpool. But he twice scored five goals away from home, after a 2:5 defeat with Crystal Palace, he lost 0:5 at Chelsea. The total number of goals conceded, 70, is formidable. Only Burnley (74), Luton (78) and Sheffield United (100), all teams from the bottom three of the table, are worse defensively.

“The fans were great, I’m sick of it. I really apologize to them. It’s not usual for my team to get beaten like this, but we lack some ingredients – mental toughness and leadership to get better results or at least not get beaten like this.” stated Moyes, who did not win at Stamford Bridge at the 19th attempt. His charges have earned only one point from the last four rounds.

The Glasgow native returned to his second spell at West Ham in December 2019 and enjoyed a very positive period in the club’s history. In the 2021/22 season, he led the team to the semifinals of the Europa League, and last year in Prague’s Eden, he won the Conference League, thus ending the 43-year long wait for a major trophy.

But Moyes’ days on the bench appear to be numbered. West Ham’s form is dying and frustration is spreading among the fans. The BBC points out that in recent days the club has been negotiating with Julen Lopetegui, the Spanish former coach of Porto, Real Madrid, Sevilla and Wolverhampton.