West Ham United’s hopes of survival received a huge boost on Monday night.
After the undeserved 1-0 defeat at Arsenal on Saturday West Ham remained outside the relegation zone on goal difference.
Things are extremely tight in the battle against the drop. It is now considered to be two teams from five to join Norwich City in the Championship next season.
Realistically West Ham need four wins from the remaining nine games to ensure that it’s not them.
Two from five in the battle against the drop
Second bottom Aston Villa were a worry for West Ham and the other clubs in the relegation picture.
Villa are just two points behind the Hammers and had two games in hand – against Leicester and Arsenal.
Dean Smith’s side looked promising in the Carabao Cup final defeat against Manchester City.
But the Midlanders showed why they have the worst defensive record in the top flight on Monday night as they were thrashed 4-0 by Leicester.
Hammers get huge boost as Villa are thrashed
West Ham fans watched the game with interest. And the defeat was a huge boost to West Ham’s hopes of staying up.
It put another big dent in Villa’s goal difference too.
Villa now face in-form Chelsea on Saturday before West Ham entertain Wolves.
If Villa lose again and West Ham pull off a crucial win, Villa would need to effectively make up six points just to overtake David Moyes’s side with eight games to go.
Villa have one of the toughest run-ins and play Wolves, Liverpool and Manchester United after the Chelsea match.
West Ham’s performances of late have been hugely encouraging. They should be better off in terms of points. But if Moyes’s side can make sure they get all three points from a series of winnable home games between now and May they should stay up comfortably.
VAR consolation as Moyes plots survival
There was also a VAR consolation for West Ham in Villa’s defeat.
Hammers fans have felt hard done by with the introduction of VAR this season.
Indeed statistics show West Ham have had more goals ruled out than any other team due to VAR and more decisions reversed that have led to goals against them too.
But the penalty awarded against Villa’s Tyrone Mings showed West Ham are not the only ones with a grievance against VAR.
Many have predicted survival could go down to the last game when West Ham welcome Villa to the London Stadium.
On this evidence West Ham will hopefully have safety secured before then.
West Ham’s run-in:
Wolves (H)
Tottenham (A)
Chelsea (H)
Newcastle (A)
Burnley (H)
Norwich (A)
Watford (H)
Man United (A)
Aston Villa (H)
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