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West Ham supporters have been handed a significant update regarding David Moyes’ future by The Times reporter Gary Jacob.

The Lowdown: Moyes under pressure…

The east Londoners’ latest Premier League defeat to Spurs has heaped pressure back on the 59-year-old, who appears to be in a fight to save his position.

West Ham succumbed to a 2-0 loss at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, with second-half goals from Emerson Royal and Son Heung-min condemning them to defeat and a place in the relegation zone.

In their last five league games, Moyes’ side have picked up one win, two draws and two defeats, with Bournemouth leapfrogging them out of the bottom three after their win over Wolves on Saturday.

The Latest: Moyes handed sack timeline…

According to Jacob of The Times, Moyes and Irons supporters have been informed of when the 59-year-old could be dismissed if one thing happens.

The reporter claims that the West Ham manager is ‘set to be sacked’ if they lose this weekend’s match against Nottingham Forest at the London Stadium.

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The Verdict: Right call?

After next weekend, the Hammers will have just 14 league matches of the season to play, making it debatable as to whether any prospective new manager could even make an impact in that time.

West Ham have been linked with the likes of Rafael Benitez, who has much experience of coaching at the very top level, but reports suggest that he would want a three-to-four-year contract. The club arguably cannot commit such a long-term deal for the 62-year-old given how unsure their position in the top flight is right now.

While Moyes’ side simply haven’t been good enough this term, scoring just 19 goals in the league, the Scotsman already knows these players well and has experience of steering West Ham away from relegation after he came in during the 2019/20 season.

Perhaps the best course of action is to stick with Moyes until an obvious candidate becomes readily available.

Insider ExWHUemployee has revealed that West Ham United players are “frustrated” behind the scenes amid Alphonse Areola’s cryptic Instagram message.

What’s the latest on Alphonse Areola and WHUFC?

The French goalkeeper recently took to Instagram (via football.london) to say: “People like to be around those who give off positive energy…” followed by a cloud emoji.

On top of that, Manuel Lanzini’s wife also sent a message online to David Moyes about playing her husband. So it’s clear to see not everyone is content right now.

While talking about it all on The West Ham Way podcast, Ex revealed that he can’t be certain for sure what Areola was referring to but he did confirm that some players are “frustrated” within the club.

He said: “Areola’s come out today and said you should surround yourself with positive people, which seems like it’s a dig at the club and possibly David Moyes.

“I don’t have evidence either way. All I do know is that a few players have been frustrated at the negative attitude and the negative reaction to things.

“So maybe, speculating, that is where he was talking about. I don’t know factually. Obviously, Lanzini’s wife came out on Instagram last night posting hers and his frustrations at him not playing online. So there are people that are frustrated.”

What does this player frustration mean for West Ham?

Seeing as the Irons lost this weekend away at Tottenham Hotspur – meaning they now sit inside the bottom three – it’s not hard to see why players are unhappy.

For the likes of Areola and Lanzini, this may be particularly frustrating as they haven’t had the chance to shine much in the Premier League this season.

For instance, the goalkeeper has played second fiddle to Lukasz Fabianski featuring just twice in the top flight this term. On top of that, Lanzini has managed just 122 minutes in the league, spread across five outings and so the pair may understandably be hoping for more opportunities with the club struggling.

It’s never easy to keep an entire squad happy and internal frustration isn’t necessarily a unique thing to West Ham right now but with things not going their way, Moyes does have to be careful things don’t spiral out of control.

It’ll be interesting to see what, if anything, he does to try and resolve these issues.

Conor McGilligan has slammed Leeds United’s Illan Meslier for his lack of ability in claiming crosses and having poor decision-making.

The Lowdown: A dip in quality will be a concern

In the past, Meslier has been linked with a move away from Leeds with clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur said to be circling around the young French shot-stopper.

However, while Leeds themselves haven’t been great in general currently engulfed in their second successive relegation battle, Meslier hasn’t covered himself in glory recently either.

The French goalkeeper was caught out in Michael Skubala’s final game in charge against Everton as Seamus Coleman netted at his near post which had been vacated, and was also questionably far off of his line for Palhinha’s goal in the FA Cup on Tuesday night.

The Lates: Meslier not as good as some may believe

McGilligan has admitted on his YouTube channel that he’s one of a few Leeds fans that haven’t been convinced by Meslier past his great ability to be a top shot-stopper.

He said: (18:20) “I’m not 100% sure he’s having the best season, I don’t think he is whatsoever, but I don’t know what we can expect in terms of where we are as a club position-wise, we’ve got the third stand-in French goalkeeper in Illan Meslier.

“I’ve never been 100% convinced on him. I think he’s a really good shot-stopper, I think he’s poor from crosses and I think his decision-making is poor but overall I think he’s a decent keeper.”

The Verdict: Leeds will do well to keep Meslier

If a club such as Spurs are looking at Meslier then Leeds will indeed do very well to fend off top-four suitors, especially one that would likely receive a ringing endorsement from someone who’s likely a hero to him in the form of Hugo Lloris.

Meslier has been an ever-present under the three coaches at Leeds this season and since becoming the Whites’ number one during their Premier League return he’s been able to prove he’s a suitable keeper at this level.

Given that Leeds are struggling for the second season in a row would suggest that their crop of players aren’t necessarily good enough to be performing in the Premier League, so Leeds will need Meslier to keep performing at his own top level because he may be seen as a sellable asset if the Whites were to be relegated.

Chelsea’s 2-0 win against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night was even more impressive when you realise that was the first time the Blues had scored more than once in a match since December.

Graham Potter’s side have struggled immensely in front of goal this campaign, with Kai Havertz leading the way in the Premier League with just five goals to his name in the top flight, which emphasises the big issue at Stamford Bridge.

Despite the eye-watering transfer fees Todd Boehly shelled out in the summer and in January, the only natural, senior striker in Potter’s squad is 33-year-old Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who wasn’t even registered for the latter stages of the Champions League after managing just one goal in the Premier League this season.

Therefore, Potter will perhaps be wishing that his predecessors had afforded more young talents a chance in Chelsea’s first team, with the Blues guilty of losing a number of top youngsters over the years.

One man who can now fall in that bracket is Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah, with the 23-year-old shining for Mikel Arteta’s title hopefuls after swapping Stamford Bridge for the Emirates in 2015 after being released.

Where is Eddie Nketiah now?

The English striker was a product of the youth academy at Chelsea but would make the move across London to Arsenal eight years ago, where he has progressed into the first team in recent seasons under Arteta.

He has gone on to make 124 appearances for the Gunners’ first team, contributing 32 goals and four assists, of which nine goals and two assists have come this season, which emphasises the development he has undergone.

A lot of this could be down to his physical transformation, with the young forward joining Athletic Development Club in 2019, which has helped him become the leading man in Arsenal’s attack in the absence of the injured Gabriel Jesus.

ADC’s director Chris Varnavas was full of praise for Nketiah in an interview earlier this year, saying:

“One of the best athletes we’ve got on our books in terms of his attitude and commitment. He’s just on another level.

“His goal was to build a bit of muscle, build some strength, improving his overall athleticism so his strength, his speed, his power.”

Nketiah more than earned his new £100k-per-week contract at Arsenal last summer and it is now paying dividends, with the 23-year-old likely to play a big part in their hopes of securing a Premier League title this season. That certainly makes Chelsea’s decision to let him go look like something of a mistake.

It was a better time. Southampton are a mere shadow of the imperious outfit that rose from the din of the middle of the Premier League pack and waged war against the affluence of the supposed big boys of the division.

Ascending to prominence under Mauricio Pochettino, with the baton perfectly handed to Ronald Koeman, Saints clinched Europe in successive seasons, captivating supporters with their play and birthing some of football’s most distinguished contemporary stars.

Indeed, Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane, Dejan Lovren and Adam Lallana all departed St. Mary’s Stadium for Liverpool, while Luke Shaw joined Manchester United in 2014 for £27m at just 18 years old.

The crafting and cementation of the club for four campaigns was a remarkable achievement, while reaching the Europa League group phase in 2016/17, albeit falling flat, provided European nights to a fanbase striving for promotion from League One a little over half a decade prior.

It’s a far cry from the current crop, battered but brazen in their fight to stave off relegation, defeating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and drawing to Man United at Old Trafford in recent weeks, but still confined to the relegation zone for 13 successive match-weeks.

With the recent draw against the ten-man Red Devils illuminating the woes in front of goal, Southampton mustering 17 shots to no avail on the day, the shining talisman of the former unit, Graziano Pelle, would be a coveted item on the south coast right now.

How did Pelle perform at Southampton?

In 2014, Koeman signed 28-year-old striker Pelle from Feyenoord for around £9m, with the Italian powerhouse having flourished in the Dutch Eredivisie the season prior, scoring 23 goals and providing six assists from 28 appearances.

The 20-cap former Italy international would go on to plunder 30 goals and ten assists from 80 displays for Saints, notably boasting tallies of 12 and 11 across his two Premier League campaigns in 2014/15 and 2o15/16, integral in giving the club its maiden taste of Europe.

Lauded for an innate knack at “humiliating” defences by BBC chief football writer Phil McNulty, Pelle recorded averages of 3.2 and 2.7 shots per game over his two terms in English football, as per WhoScored, also winning a remarkable 4.7 and 3.7 average headers, such was his dominance in the airspace of the pitch.

Such prolific exploits would leave the marksman heralded as “magical” by Tifo Football, with Koeman waxing lyrical over the forward when the pair were still affiliated with the outfit, saying: “Graziano we know is a very good striker, scoring goals, strong.

“I said before, it’s my opinion [he’s] one of the best in the Premier League.”

The colossus would also perhaps flourish with current captain James Ward-Prowse’s skill set deployed behind his own; as per Sofascore, five of Pelle’s 11 league strikes in the 15/16 term were headed efforts, and partnering that with his aforementioned aerial dominance, the results could have been cataclysmic for the rest of the division.

Ward-Prowse, now 28-years-old, was only at the maiden phase of his career when alongside Pelle in the Saints squad, and was a far more unrefined commodity, now hailed as a “set-piece master” by broadcaster Maximiliano Bretos, making an average 2.2 key passes and two crosses per league match this year.

Star striker Che Adams has found the back of the net in the top flight just twice from his past 21 outings, with the club too often dependant on the deal-ball wizardry of stalwart Ward-Prowse.

With Pelle at the front of the attack – unflinching, imposing, imperious – Selles could rest easier knowing his beleaguered outfit wielded such a devastating centre-forward.

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is willing to stick with manager Graham Potter long into the future, according to an update from journalist Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Potter winning round doubters

The 47-year-old replaced Thomas Tuchel earlier in the season but it hasn’t been easy for him, with a lot of results and performances leaving plenty to be desired, particularly in the Premier League.

Potter has found himself under enormous pressure in recent months, with some reports suggesting he could lose his job, but owner Todd Boehly has stuck with him for now.

That patience has paid off, however, with Chelsea winning their last three matches in a row, and there are signs that the Blues have now turned a corner.

The Latest: Chelsea showing patience

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs claimed that Chelsea are playing the long game with Potter, rather than rushing into any quick decisions:

“Chelsea’s owners will always argue that they were doing everything in their power not to sack him in the first place.

“But the daily soap opera around his future has ended for now and Potter will have at least until the end of the season to build his identity. They are still judging him in years, not games.

“So, the full expectation is that Potter will start to build a team that befits Chelsea and their stature, and in doing so will get all of these pieces to come together cohesively with an identity, and then Chelsea will be back to their best.

“If that is via a run at the end of this season, then everybody will be delighted. But if it’s about building for next season, then there is still that faith behind Potter because he’s the right football, strategic and personality fit for the project.”

The Verdict: Refreshing stance to take

Chelsea have been famed for sacking managers fairly ruthlessly down the years, whether it be Maurizio Sarri, Frank Lampard or Tuchel, among many others, with any poor run of forum often proving to be fatal.

It is, therefore, refreshing to see the club taking a different approach with Potter, trusting a young manager with a vision and accepting that he may take time to fully make an impact.

Potter certainly deserves to stay in charge until next season, at which point he will have had a full pre-season with his squad and made new signings, so the 2023/24 campaign will be the time to properly assess him.

He was signed for a reason, having been hailed for doing a ‘brilliant’ job by Jurgen Klopp during his Brighton days, and Chelsea could have a gem on their hands if they show faith in him.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte is now at a ‘point of no return’ and is not expected to continue as manager beyond the summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Conte’s future in major doubt

There are conflicting reports about whether the Tottenham board are ready to fire Conte immediately, with Football Insider reporting the club have discussed the possibility of Ryan Mason taking over for the remainder of the season.

Sky Sports News have today reported that Tottenham players expect the manager to leave the club ‘sooner rather than later’, as they believe he crossed a line by calling them selfish and questioning their commitment to the club.

Contingency plans are being drawn up about potential replacements for the Italian, and whether he leaves now or at the end of the season, it seems that his future is in major doubt.

The Latest: Jones’ update

In an interview with GiveMeSport, Jones shared what he’s now heard about the 53-year-old’s future in north London. The transfer insider said:

“I don’t think it will change anything in terms of Conte’s future now.

“From every conversation I have, this is pretty much the point of no return and I don’t see how this can change.

“Conte was brought in to win a trophy and he hasn’t won a trophy. He wasn’t brought in to qualify for the top four and there are many managers that would have felt they could have delivered that. It does feel like it’s going to be time for a fresh start now.”

The Verdict: Bring back Poch?

With the former Inter Milan boss potentially departing the club at the end of the season, Spurs have been linked with a move for Mauricio Pochettino, and they are believed to have already made contact with the Argentine.

The 51-year-old is said to have made it clear he would ‘jump at the chance’ to return to N17, and he could be a shrewd appointment, averaging 1.83 points per match in his previous spell, which is an increase on the 1.79 average amassed by Conte.

However, there could also be doubts about whether Pochettino is the right man for the job, given that he has only ever won silverware as manager of Paris Saint-Germain. Conte has achieved success everywhere he’s been prior to Tottenham, winning a total of five league titles, so it would be a shame for him to leave at the end of the season, but Levy may have no other choice if team morale has been badly affected by his comments.

Journalist Julien Laurens has heaped praise on ‘genius’ manager Will Still amid claims West Ham United want him to replace David Moyes.

The Lowdown: Moyes under-pressure…

The Scotsman has found himself under consistent pressure this Premier League campaign after failing to build upon West Ham’s two successful previous seasons.

Moyes lead his side to back-to-back European qualification campaigns in the build up to this season but have ultimately underachieved after a summer of heavy spending.

West Ham put pen to paper on deals for Alphonse Areola, Nayef Aguerd, Flynn Downes, Gianluca Scamacca, Maxwel Cornet, Thilo Kehrer, Emerson Palmieri and club record signing Lucas Paqueta last year but find themselves in the drop zone.

18th and battling relegation to the Championship, there has been plenty of talk as to who could replace Moyes if West Ham eventually decide to part company.

Still, who has been doing a phenomenal job with Reims this season, is reportedly attracting interest from the east Londoners.

The Latest: Laurens hails Still…

Speaking on Sky Sports (via Football Daily), reporter Laurens has heaped praise on the 30-year-old after claims West Ham want him.

The journalist says Still is a ‘bit of a genius’ and his Ligue 1 rise is nothing short of ‘huge’ and ‘remarkable’.

When asked about Still’s journey, Laurens explained:

“Huge, really, the story of course. For someone so young to show so much maturity, tactically to start with, cause he’s a bit of a genius tactically, but also in his man-management with the players, again, with some of them being older than him, is remarkable.

“He’s got an incredible future ahead of him, there’s no doubt.”

Laurens went on to comment on the links to West Ham, believing that while be may not be ready for such a big job, what he has showed so far is ‘incredible’.

The Verdict: Exciting manager…

The young tactician recently went on a Ligue 1 record 17-game unbeaten run recently, propelling his name into the headlines and making supporters take real notice.

If West Ham wish to turn to Still after Moyes, they could be boosted by the fact he is more-than open to managing in England one day.

“Being English and growing up in an English environment in Belgium, England has always felt like home and a place that I’d love to go back to,” said Still (via Sky).

“It would feel like coming home, just because the English culture is part of me, part of my roots, part of my family, part of who I am.

“I think if you asked any kid what they would like to do, they’d say they’d love to be a Premier League footballer or manager and I’m no different. I was brought up like everyone else and had the same dreams. I’ll keep at them.”

Tottenham Hotspur's search for a manager can now truly commence, as just yesterday the club confirmed that Antonio Conte would be relieved of his duties.

Following what had been a lack of development within the squad, and the obvious issues with his conduct in the media, it seems like Daniel Levy once again finds himself in a similar position: no manager at the helm and no idea which way to take the club.

Mauricio Pochettino helped drag the Lilywhites back amongst England's elite, but since his dismissal, they have seemed to lose their way. Managers like Jose Mourinho and the since-departed Italian offer a stark contrast from the progressive Argentine, and it seems like amidst all the ridicule they abandoned progress in the hope it would earn them a quick route to silverware.

As such, they have once again set the club back years.

In an effort to re-focus, recapturing what it was that made Spurs so special for many years, surely they must return to perhaps a big-name manager who is likely to stick around for the long run rather than endure a few short years where they might win a sole EFL Cup.

To truly taste success one must persevere with a competent manager, and Luis Enrique could certainly fit the bill.

Would Luis Enrique join Spurs?

Before Conte's sacking, the rumour mill had kicked into overdrive as they foresaw his eventual exit. Many names were in circulation, and it was quickly outlined who held an interest in the post and who did not.

Fortunately for the north London outfit, the Spaniard was reportedly keen on taking the position should it come available. Although Cristian Stellini will remain in charge until this season's end, the out-of-work 52-year-old could remain a viable option to return to club football this summer.

Having crashed out of the World Cup with his native Spain, despite branding himself "the best coach on the face of the earth" preceding the tournament, he remains a highly-rated manager who has impressed across numerous teams.

In fact, his Barcelona side was statistically better than Pep Guardiola's, with a higher win percentage as they scored more goals and conceded less. Although buoyed by the exploits of one of the most dangerous trios to play the game in Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, in Harry Kane and Heung-min Son he would retain comparatively impressive attackers.

Not only this, but his direct style of play often allowed the front three additional space with which to attack; a benefit the Lilywhites have suffered from given the turgid football under Conte.

With the South Korean misfiring this season, likely due to a lack of space as they would be forced to attack well-structured defences at minimum pace, the 30-year-old has just six goals in the Premier League thus far.

Given the potential philosophy shift and the appointment of someone who journalist Ben Hayward dubbed a "top-class coach", there is every cause to believe Enrique could be the man to reignite Son, a beleaguered phenom in a horrid run of form.

Doing so could well ensure that any possible tenure gets off to the best of starts.

Everton battled to a hard-fought point on Monday evening, which the home support will likely leave Goodison Park elated with.

Despite enjoying the bulk of possession, Tottenham Hotspur often flattered to deceive with their offensive play, once again troubled by their common issue. With no link between the front three and the rest of the team, they were left isolated. Although Antonio Conte has been sacked, his legacy lived on last night as the two sides played out a 1-1 draw.

This played right into the hands of Sean Dyche, who simply packed out the middle of the park and afforded them the ball. He knew they would be ineffective, and the Lilywhites proved him right.

However, it was two moments of madness that saw them seize the initiative. The first came from Abdoulaye Doucoure, whose wild swing caught Harry Kane in the face. The England captain unsurprisingly went sprawling to the ground, and a red card was brandished.

Then, just ten minutes later, Michael Keane’s sluggish reaction allowed Cristian Romero to poke the ball away as he too was sent flying. Although somewhat theatrical, it was another indisputable decision that allowed Kane to score from the spot.

Toffees teams of old might have folded after a string of such cataclysmic events, yet they refocused and dominated the remainder of the match.

Whilst Michael Keane might earn the plaudits for his stunning late equaliser, driven home from all of 25 yards, it was Amadou Onana’s mesmeric display that allowed them to continue dominating the midfield despite being a man down.

How did Amadou Onana play vs Spurs?

Having come under scrutiny in recent months for his lack of impact on games, the 6 foot 4 titan proved the doubters wrong as he strolled about the field with poise and power.

It was a performance that led journalist Joe Thomas to praise him, as he claimed: “This was Amadou Onana’s best game for some time, probably since the win over Arsenal.”

His 7.2 Sofascore rating served to support this, with only the goalscorer and his midfield partner Idrissa Gueye boasting higher on his team.

This figure was upheld by a string of important defensive interactions, including one clearance, one interception, one tackle and four duels won (via Sofascore). The 21-year-old’s work in pressing from the front also afforded a golden chance for the aforementioned 33-year-old, which was spurned.

However, it is not his defensive work that is often called into question, but his impact when on the ball. The £100k-per-week Belgian maestro would quickly dispel such worries, boasting an 89% pass accuracy alongside two key passes from his 63 touches of the ball.

Keane’s scorching equaliser will steal headlines, and rightly so, but Onana’s magisterial midfield display deserves just as much credit; if not more.