Perhaps Manuel Pellegrini’s biggest challenge as West Ham manager is to make the London Stadium feel like home.
He inherited no shortage of problems at the club, but many of them revert back to the issue of the unpopular stadium.
The fact that the supporters decamp every other week to an arena they have never warmed to, and one which represents broken promises adds a layer of pressure.
That also adds another layer of importance to Saturday’s victory over Manchester United.
How to make the stadium feel like home
Having memorable matches at the London Stadium is the most surefire way to make the arena feel like home.
It will not ease the pain for those in the fanbase who still long for the comfort of Upton Park; yet the Hammers must make their own memories.
There have not been enough of those so far; games that transform the stadium from an athletics track the club borrows into a place full of memories.
Outstanding performances and memorable victories hold the key to doing exactly that.
Why it’s important
The stadium is the biggest piece of evidence the fans will use against the board. A better relationship there will ease tensions and create a greater deal of patience.
That can only be a good thing. It will also make the London Stadium a more intimidating place to play and improve the atmosphere inside the ground.
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