Jamie Carragher believes West Ham are heading for relegation ahead of the new Premier League season but Roy Keane is convinced one of their new signings will save them.
West Ham go into the new Premier League season very much as relegation contenders in the eyes of many journalists, pundits and fans.
The Hammers kick off the new campaign with a trip to newly-promoted Sunderland as Graham Potter looks to prove he is the right man to turn the club around.
West Ham have regressed badly over the last 18 months, falling from being firmly in the top six after a win at Arsenal on December 28th 2023 to fighting to avoid finishing 17th under Potter last season.
Jury out on Potter and West Ham for 2025/26 season
It is a fall from grace best illustrated by one damning statistic – West Ham have won just 15 of their last 57 Premier League games since that Arsenal victory at the end of 2023.
Unless Potter drastically improves that record there is no doubt the Hammers will be in the relegation mix this season.
Especially with the Premier League expected to be at its most competitive for over a decade.
There was little evidence that Potter can turn things around in the second half of last season as he won just five of his 19 games in charge.
A big rebuild was expected – and touted by Potter himself – ahead of the summer transfer window.
But West Ham have signed just four players so far and are struggling to address their biggest issue – overhauling their woefully inadequate central midfield options.
A host of pundits have grave concerns for the Irons under Potter ahead of the new campaign.
Paul Merson thinks West Ham are relegation contenders this season and that the three promoted teams will fancy finishing above Potter’s side.
Carragher says West Ham will be relegated
West Ham legend Tony Cottee believes Potter could be sacked if West Ham don’t start well in the first six games.
Meanwhile, talkSPORT duo Tony Cascarino and Darren Ambrose feel West Ham are doomed to relegation under Potter and think things could turn toxic quickly in east London.
Now top Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Roy Keane have had their say.
Carragher thinks West Ham will be relegated but Roy Keane believes one new signing will save them.
The Overlap is back this week and the panel were asked to give a “hot take” prediction for the new season.
Roy Keane thinks new signing will save Hammers
Initially Carragher said his was for Leeds to stay up.
But when that take was rejected by the likes of Gary Neville and co for not being a particularly “hot”, Carragher turned his attentions to West Ham.
And the former Liverpool hero believes West Ham are bang in trouble this season.
While others on the panel, including Jill Scott, agreed, Keane thinks the signing of goalkeeper Mads Hermansen from Leicester City will save them.
“Is West Ham in a relegation fight or getting relegated (a hot take)?” Carragher said.
“I think West Ham are going to struggle,” Carragher added shaking his head while grimacing.”
That’s when Keane interjected and said Hermansen could make a big difference.
“No but Jamie listen they’ve bought that ‘keeper from Leicester (Hermansen), he’s not bad at all, playing out from the back, remember the one before him then he came in (and was much better).”
Carragher responded: “Yeah, he’s not bad is he.”
It is some turnaround from last year when Carragher tipped the Hammers as outsiders for a Champions League spot.
Leicester fans were livid Hermansen was sold to West Ham for less than £18m.
The Foxes faithful felt he was worth more than double that and worthy of a move to a Champions League club.
West Ham have always performed better when less is expected of them.
As a club the Hammers tend to relish the underdogs tag.
With the jury out on Potter, Carragher’s prediction feels ominous.
He, and his team, have it all to prove.
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