West Ham United were brought crashing back down to earth with defeat at Wolves on Wednesday night.
Victory over Chelsea at the weekend broke West Ham’s eight-game winless run.
It lifted the gloom that has engulfed the club of late. But not for long.
Manuel Pellegrini’s future has been the subject of intense speculation.
Wolves defeat raises fresh doubts over Pellegrini
The likes of Rafa Benitez (Daily Mail) and Eddie Howe (Football Insider) have been linked as replacements.
The Chelsea win bought Pellegrini some time. But the deflating and predictable nature of the defeat at Wolves has been the pressure pile back on the Chilean.
Reports claim Pellegrini has been given the Arsenal and Southampton games to turn things around.
Rafa and Howe remain favourites
But can the Hammers afford to dilly-dally? Reports suggest otherwise.
According to The Daily Mail Arsenal have moved ahead of West Ham in the race for Benitez due to the £20million fee on the Spaniard’s head.
And another West Ham managerial target, Howe, is also said to be an outsider for the Gunners job.
Can Hammers afford to wait?
West Ham owners David Sullivan and David Gold have to take their share of the responsibility for the club’s woes this season.
The pair sanctioned a meagre £25million spend in the summer and it has left Pellegrini desperately short in key areas.
Now they must do one of two things. Stand by Pellegrini and back him with funds in January. Or make a change to inject new life into the season before another club pounces.
Over to you Sullivan and Gold.
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