Sky Sports ask supercomputer big West Ham question — and the result is truly shocking

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Sky Sports put a major question about West Ham’s future to its supercomputer — and the result is nothing short of shocking.

The weird and wonderful world of West Ham has been a more positive place to be over the last few weeks.

West Ham were desperately looking for a win when, like London buses, two came along at once before the international break.

Victories over Newcastle and Burnley at the London Stadium in the space of seven days breathed new life and hope into West Ham’s season.

Nuno breathes new life and hope into West Ham

A season which has been so abysmal the Hammers were looking relegation certainties rather than candidates before their first consecutive wins in nine months.

Nuno Espirito Santo is already a big hit among supporters, winning back those who had doubts when he seemed to take leave of his senses with bizarre team selections for defeats to Brentford and Leeds.

The moment West Ham appointed the Portuguese, most fans, pundits and journalists were adamant the club would no longer be relegated.

Those defeats to the Bees and Leeds changed the thinking for many, though.

West Ham were again on the lips of everyone predicting the three teams who would drop come what May.

But six points in a week boosted morale and West Ham up to level on points with 17th placed Burnley.

The next step to Nuno fully turning the corner will be lifting the Hammers out of the drop zone and away from danger.

West Ham head to Bournemouth knowing another victory could lift them as high as 14th and within a win of midtable.

When the Hammers were splashing out £155m last summer after three consecutive seasons in Europe, regressing to a side battling to stay in the Premier League did not look on the cards.

That is exactly what has happened, though, following the disastrous appointments of Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter, not to mention the often woeful recruitment of the last few seasons too.

Nuno is now picking up the pieces.

And as he heads to take on Andoni Iraola’s Cherries, spirits are high in the West Ham camp for the first time in many months.

However, the east Londoners have been brought crashing back down to earth.

Sky Sports’ supercomputer has shocking news for West Ham

Because Sky Sports asked its supercomputer a big West Ham question — and the result is truly shocking.

The unexpected prediction will leave many fans and pundits stunned and spark fresh debate over where the club could be heading.

Sky Sports’ Between the Lines analysis has revealed how the Premier League table should look, according to the broadcaster’s xG formula.

The Sky Sports supercomputer has also re-calculated the predicted final standings with ‘Will West Ham be relegated?’ among the key questions asked.

How is the expected table calculated?

• Points are awarded based on expected goal (xG) performance
• 3 points if you outscore your opponent’s xG by more than 0.5
• 1 point if the difference in xG is between -0.5 and 0.5
• 0 points if opponent outscores your xG by more than 0.5

In the expected table, there would not be a great deal of change for the Hammers, who Sky state would be one point better off.

However, the expected table would see West Ham sitting 15th, 11 games in.

Supercomputer says West Ham still going down despite upturn

It was the result of the big relegation question that proved shocking, though.

After back-to-back wins and with Nuno at the helm, few think West Ham will go down.

But, worryingly, Sky’s supercomputer still does.

Taking an average from 100,000 simulations of the remaining fixtures, and factoring performance data, fixtures, odds and more, the Sky Sports supercomputer predicts the Hammers will be relegated to the Championship.

West Ham will finish 18th on 36 points and look likely to go down on goal difference with Fulham on the same points.

Burnley and Wolves are the other two clubs predicted to drop.

A win at Bournemouth would put West Ham in a much healthier position.

But if Nuno wants to ensure complacency does not creep into his side after the recent upturn, he only needs to show them that predicted table.