There are mixed emotions for West Ham this evening but the club has been given new hope as the net closes in on relegation rivals Nottingham Forest and Spurs.
The Hammers were left kicking themselves when they could only muster a 0-0 draw at home to Bournemouth on Saturday.
West Ham knew a win would draw them level on points with Nottingham Forest in the safety of 17th place and to within two points of bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
With Forest playing Liverpool and Spurs facing Arsenal, a West Ham win over the Cherries would have piled on the pressure in the relegation dogfight as it enters the final 11 games.
After a run of fine form, though, West Ham were not really at the races when it mattered most as they managed just three shots on target from 20 attempts.
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Privately Nuno has targeted six games West Ham must win to survive and Bournemouth was one of them.
There was no hiding the disappointment from the manager, players and fans after the game.
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West Ham’s owners were more philosophical about the result on Sunday morning.
But Hammers eyes turned to Forest’s clash with Liverpool and Tottenham’s north London derby against title favourites Arsenal on Sunday.
And it is fair to say there will be mixed emotions in West Ham circles after a weekend many marked down as a crossroads for the club’s hopes of Premier League survival.
Frustrated West Ham have been given new hope as the net closes in on Nottingham Forest and Spurs.
“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in” is the famous line spoken by Michael Corleone – played by Al Pacino – in the 1990 film The Godfather III.
Well that is very apt for West Ham United given how Sunday unfolded.
Captain Jarrod Bowen told Sky Sports he would be watching Forest and Tottenham in action on Sunday with West Ham’s survival hopes directly impacted by the outcomes.
He and his Hammers teammates would have been fearing the worst as Liverpool faced a Nottingham Forest onslaught in the first half at the City Ground.
West Ham get new hope as net closes on Forest and Spurs
Forest were then denied what looked a strong shout for a penalty too.
West Ham fans were celebrating when Liverpool ace Alexis Mac Allister scored a fortuitous late goal at the death which would ensure Nuno Espirito Santo’s side gained ground on his old club.
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But VAR intervened to rule it out, keeping the gap at three points.
The stars aligned for the Irons in the last kick of the game, though, when Mac Allister scored again. Another VAR check for offside looked set to rule that out too with the only available camera angle not providing a clear picture.
VAR reverted to the semi-automated offside call and – to West Ham’s relief – the goal was awarded as the Reds beat Nottingham Forest 1-0.
That means West Ham now have the carrot of climbing out of the relegation zone for the first time since November – and only the third time all season – with an unlikely win at Anfield next Saturday.
Forest are then in action away at Brighton on the Sunday.
There will be undeniable frustration at the failure to beat Bournemouth because West Ham would be level on 27 points with Forest right now.
And the Hammers would be breathing down Tottenham’s necks too after they were smashed 4-1 by Arsenal for the second time this season.
West Ham will climb out of drop zone with Liverpool win
Former Hammers captain Declan Rice helped do his old club a huge favour by playing his part in a dominant win over Tottenham – although he did make a big error which led to Spurs’ equaliser at 1-1.
With Igor Tudor’s side at in-form Fulham next Sunday, West Ham can pull to within a point of Tottenham with a shock victory over Liverpool.
With Leeds above them on 31 points it now looks like being one from four for the final relegation place between the Elland Road outfit, West Ham, Spurs and Forest.
The failure to beat the Cherries could have been haunting the Hammers this evening.
Instead, West Ham are still right in the mix with genuine hope of pulling off a new great escape.
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