Former West Ham manager Alan Pardew remains optimistic that his old club can avoid relegation this season.
The Hammers missed a golden opportunity to escape the bottom three by losing 3-1 to Newcastle at St. James’ Park on Sunday.
West Ham could now be relegated as early as Tuesday if Tottenham earn a point against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Even though the odds are stacked against them, Pardew insisted that Irons supporters should not lose faith just yet.
We are all but relegated — how would you feel about keeping Nuno in the Championship? 🧑💼
Or was that performance the last straw? 😡
Alan Pardew keeps faith in West Ham great escape after Newcastle setback
Alan Pardew admitted on Sunday evening that he never expected West Ham to beat Newcastle away from home.
However, the 64-year-old was encouraged by the Hammers’ response to falling 2-0 down ahead of their final day clash with Leeds.
Pardew believes Nuno Espirito Santo will pick the same line-up that was on the pitch after Jean-Clair Todibo’s early substitution.
“As well as they’ve been performing, I thought it was a stretch for them to win there or get something, and they haven’t,” he reflected on talkSPORT. “They gifted goals away, by the way.
“I thought they gave a really decent account of themselves after they went to a 4-4-2. I think that might be the team that plays against Leeds.
“He has to leave [Taty] Castellanos on the pitch, and they have to give Leeds a good go.”
The Leeds game will not matter as long as Tottenham draw against Chelsea, but Pardew has tipped them to lose at Stamford Bridge.
This would create a scenario in which West Ham would need to beat Leeds and Spurs lose at home to Everton this weekend.
Although it is highly unlikely that all three results will go West Ham’s way, Pardew refused to write off their survival chances.
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Clearly a legend but a few dissenting voices 👀
He has identified the difference in mentality between needing to win and to draw as a potential advantage for West Ham.
“[Spurs] have got to go to Chelsea; I don’t think [they’re] going to win there,” Pardew added. “Then it’s going to come down to the last game of the season. I don’t think it’s done for West Ham quite yet.
“Can you imagine the nerves for both clubs? If you have to get a draw [rather than] a win, there’s a different psychology to that.
“That might favour West Ham in that they have to win. They have to really put out. Whereas, if you’re Spurs, you’re like, ‘A draw will do us.’ It’s not over.”
After all, you would not put it past the Tottenham players to succumb to the pressure of needing a result to stay in the Premier League.
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