Under-pressure West Ham boss Pellegrini: There´s always noise when clubs aren´t winning

Manuel Pellegrini is not overly concerned by “noise” around his West Ham future, preferring to focus on their next Premier League match against Chelsea.

West Ham’s encouraging start to the 2019-20 season has long since been forgotten, with Pellegrini’s men winless in eight across all competitions, losing their past three league matches and conceding three goals in each.

A miserable run leaves the Hammers one place and three points outside the relegation zone, with pressure quickly building on Pellegrini.

The former Manchester City boss is one of several Premier League managers reportedly on the brink, as David Moyes – also linked with Everton – has been mooted for a potential return to London Stadium.

Addressing the media ahead of a tough trip to Chelsea this weekend, it was put to Pellegrini that the West Ham board could not be happy and “noise” was growing.

The West Ham coach offered a spiky response, telling reporters: “They can’t be [happy]? You think that someone can’t be happy?

Spurs have won 3 consecutive away #PL matches against West Ham for the first time in their history pic.twitter.com/mvsAjgh4Sg

— Premier League (@premierleague) November 24, 2019

“You are telling me they can’t be happy when we aren’t winning? You are telling me that? There is always noise around every club that is not winning.”

Pellegrini would not be pushed further on his future, adding: “We never talk about the future. We must be very clear with what we do. This is game by game. It’s the same answer as when we were winning.

“Football changes every game, so we are working to beat Chelsea and improve. I never think about the future, always about the present.”

One key area of concern for West Ham in recent weeks has been the form of goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez, who has been hapless in place of injured star Lukasz Fabianski.

Pellegrini insisted on Thursday that Fabianski would not recover from his hip problem in time to return before Christmas, although he said West Ham “will see” about a change in goal.

TEAM NEWS:@WinstonReid2: Played for U23s, returns to full first team training next week@JackWilshere: Hope he will be working with the squad next week@LukaszFabianski: Continuing recovery from surgery, exp back around Christmas@manulanzini: Out for at least one month more

— West Ham United (@WestHam) November 28, 2019

David Martin, signed from rivals Millwall in the close-season, would appear the obvious alternative, but Pellegrini still refused to criticise Roberto.

“I am not talking about just the goalkeeper,” he said. “Every time you must decide your starting XI, you have the complete week to work with them, with your staff, to talk about different options.

“There’s positives and negatives. So, we will do exactly the same as we have done every week.”