West Ham secured a valuable league win at the death on Saturday, with a Diafra Sakho injury time strike proving the difference in a game of few chances against Swansea.
The victory, which lifted the east London giants out of the drop zone, helped ease mounting pressure on manager Slaven Bilic. Or so it seems.
The Croatian has been tipped for the sack following yet another stuttering start to the campaign, and 7 points in as many league games are indeed not good enough.
However, chances are very high that Bilic would still be in the London Stadium technical box by next May when the Hammers play Everton on matchday 38.
The club’s management are still very much behind their man, like they have always been all along.
At this point last season, West Ham had won and drawn just once, losing the remaining 5. They managed 2 more wins, failing to win their next 6. The Hammers also went 8 games (between matchdays 24 and 32) without victory.
Eventually, they finished on 11th on the log at the end on 45 points – 5 more than the traditional relegation-safe 40 points.
At no point in time did Bilic’s job really come under threat all-campaign from the management.
West Ham owners David Sullivan and David Gold and vice-chairman Karren Brady have never sacked a manager.
It didn’t happen at Birmingham City and it won’t be happening at east London anytime soon.
Rather, next summer, it can be expected that the club will further back the manager in the transfer market as they continue to aim for a place in Europe.
