West Ham United

We asked you what managerial qualities you would like to see brought into West Ham following Nuno Espirito Santo's sacking.

Here is a selection of what you had to say:

Ben: We need a cult of personality in our manager, that's how you wield a big club like West Ham. Find a solid starting 11 who know what they're doing. It's once we've got a foundation that our attacking options can find their flair.

Steve: Not a big surprise after an indifferent run of results. Eddie Howe would be a good replacement but might have eyes on a much bigger prize. Bit sceptical that anyone can put some steel into an underwhelming defensive line. We need a big reaction from the squad this week!

Andy: Our problem has been trying to act like a Premier League side in the Championship, instead of playing Championship football, so we need a manager who knows the league. I'd take Thomas Frank, but to be honest my main criteria is "just not Sean Dyche".

Saddy: The problem is not any individual coach or player. It is in the management of the club as an enterprise. We should have stuck with Moyes, our most winning manager in half a century. We consistently punch below our weight (in terms of league table results versus revenues). This confirms that the problem is mismanagement off the field. Until this is resolved, on the field performance will remain sub-par.

Image source, Shutterstock

Former West Ham midfielder Scott Parker seems to be the frontrunner for the job but not all of you are sold:

Spencer: Looks like Scott Parker will be the new manager. Scott is proven at Championship level but has question marks on his management in the Premier League.

I understand why Scott would be a good choice at the moment, and as a former player, but doesn't look like a long strategy to me. I would have tried to persuade a Kieran McKenna or Eddie Howe myself. But I'm sure the fans will get behind him.

Calum: Loved Parker as a player and believe he would get us up but his record once he gets back to the Premier League is shocking. Thomas Frank would be a better long-term fit, plays good football and can work on small budgets. But as usual, we will stick a plaster on a broken leg.

Matt: Craig Bellamy please. Young, hungry coach with attacking intent and tactical flexibility. Understands the club and fans. Not Scott Parker please, West Ham legend, but too defensive as a coach.

Phil: I'm seeing lot of fans scoffing at Scott Parker, I wanted Bellamy myself, but his record in this division speaks for itself. People are pointing to the fact he's struggled in the Prem - let's concentrate on actually getting there first.

Klaus: Scott Parker returning to the club is written in the stars. His tactics may be pragmatic but that is just what we need. Tunnel vision on promotion is more important than attractive football.

West Ham United step into a future without Nuno Espirito Santo on Wednesday when they visit Cardiff City (19:45 GMT).

The Hammers sacked their Portuguese boss on Tuesday after two successive losses left them in eighth place on the table.

Cardiff, meanwhile, will try to put their weekend loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers behind them as they try and build themselves up the table.

• Cardiff City won their last league meeting with West Ham in March 2019 (2-0), last winning consecutive league games against the Hammers in April/September 1950.

• West Ham have won four of their last five league games against Cardiff City (L1), a run which started with a 2-0 victory on their last Championship visit to the Bluebirds in March 2012.

• West Ham have already won 1-0 at Swansea this season – they've never won two away games against Welsh sides in the same league campaign before.

• Cardiff are unbeaten at home in the Championship this season, winning the last three in a row (D3). They last won four consecutively in this division in October/November 2024.

• West Ham are unbeaten away from home in the league so far this season (W3 D3), winning their last two by an aggregate score of 7-0. They last won three in a row on the road in October 2021, while they last did so without conceding between April and September 2007 (4 in a row).

With the club six points adrift of league leaders Middlesbrough and clinging on to a play-off place, West Ham United have decided it is time to part ways with boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

Whoever is chosen to replace him will be the fourth permanent manager since David Moyes left in May 2024. Will the next one stay the course?

Who would you like to see guide the Hammers and what qualities are you looking for that you think may help secure your side promotion?

Let us know your thoughts here and come back later to see a selection of your responses.

West Ham United boss Nuno Espirito Santo spoke to BBC Radio London after the 3-1 defeat at home by West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

For the match report, and a written selection of his quotes, click here.

Image source, Shutterstock

West Ham's habit of starting matches slow was the subject of a team meeting this week, Irons captain Jarrod Bowen has revealed.

The Hammers have fallen behind in the first half of nine of their 15 matches in all competitions this season and boss Nuno Espirito Santo spoke to the players before the visit of West Brom on Saturday (15:00 GMT) stressing the important of starting faster.

Bowen wrote in the matchday programme: "We are all eager to bounce back from last Saturday's frustrating defeat [3-2 to Southampton].

"We started the game badly and ultimately, despite playing really well after falling 2-0 down, gave ourselves too much to do."

He added: "We know how much talent we have got in our squad. We know we can't afford to start games slowly and [Nuno] sat us down and talked about that this week.

"We know there is expectation and a lot of people saying we should be top of the league... but we need to do our talking on the pitch, what people say doesn't matter if we don't perform."

West Ham United will be aiming for the top spot on the Championship table on Saturday but visitors West Bromwich Albion will have their own automatic promotion ambitions when they kick-off at London Stadium (15:00 GMT).

The Hammers are sitting just outside the top two as it stands, just one point below second placed Swansea and three adrift of leaders Middlesbrough.

However, Albion are only two points shy of the Swans themselves and will be hoping for a chance to get into the automatic promotion spots.

• West Ham United have won their last three league games against West Brom, as many victories as across their prior 15 meetings combined between 2008 and 2017.

• West Brom will be looking to avoid losing four consecutive league games against West Ham United for just the second time after a four-match stint between 1939 and 1947.

• West Ham have scored 32 goals in their 12 Championship games this season, their joint-most at this stage of any league campaign along with 1933-34.

• West Brom have alternated between winning (5) and not winning (D2 L3) across their last 10 away league games, drawing 1-1 at Preston last time out.

• West Brom have won 11 points from losing positions in the Championship this season – the most of any side, and already three more than the whole of their 2025-26 campaign

Dan George
BBC Sport England

Image source, Getty Images

At full-time on Saturday aside from the jubilant away support, the London Stadium was a picture of frustration.

Supporters had booed at half-time and did the same at the full-time whistle, partly in protest against the referee, but also due to the fact that they had just failed to win a third straight home game.

Prior to being beaten by Saints, the Irons drew with QPR and lost to Fulham in the Carabao Cup.

It appeared that this mood had also filtered down to the dugout, with head coach Nuno Espirito Santo quick to leave his press conference after the game having answered less than two minutes of questions from the written media.

Despite this, West Ham remain well in the hunt for automatic promotion after 12 Championship games.

A win on Saturday would have seen them climb to the top of the table, but they remain just three points adrift of leaders Middlesbrough.

The Hammers are still a dangerous side in attack and showed this against Southampton with Kyle Walker-Peters and Tomas Soucek scoring two high-quality goals.

Star player Jarrod Bowen had a quiet match for his high standards but still caused Southampton left-back Ryan Manning all kinds of problems with his surging runs in and around the box.

He is also the highest-scoring Championship player this season that is not a centre-forward after finding the net on six occasions.

West Ham could put some of these worries behind them come Saturday, having the chance to go top of the league if they beat West Bromwich Albion and other results go their way.

West Ham United boss Nuno Espirito Santo spoke to BBC Radio London after his side's 3-2 defeat against Southampton on Saturday.

For the match report and a written selection of his quotes click here.

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Championship match between West Ham United and Southampton.

Here are some of your comments:

West Ham fans

Philip: Perhaps I'm losing faith in Nuno. We have the talent, but we're not keeping any shape. Too many instances of players clustered, unable to navigate each other and control the ball. We're also arriving in the box too early, making the pass too late. We need some discipline. Southampton were always in position, playing as a collective, and that will best a side of individuals all the time.

Hugh: Terrible defensive display standing off and watching for most of the first half. There is no development in tactics, it's one dimensional and teams have worked out how to counter it from the start as it doesn't change. Because the defence does not work, the team lacks confidence and it shows on the pitch.

Spencer: Another poor start to a game, more defensive mistakes and our midfield is a problem. It's unbalanced, no ball winners and was continually dissected with one simple straight ball. Far too much of a gap between the defence and the midfield. We don't play as a unit. You have to question the manager as we don't look like a well coached team and have been getting through with individual performances. I hope Nuno learns from this because more performances like that and I can see the fans turning.

Image source, Shutterstock

Southampton fans

Pablo: Much more clinical finishing from the Saints, having no offsides in the game for us which obviously they have been working on. Peretz was the man of the match with some outstanding saves.

Stephen: Intense, rugged, composed. Despite defensive pressures they stayed calm allowing purposeful attacks which carried them forward with clear attempts on goal being rewarded. The players, including the bench, did not let anything distract them from winning.

Geoff: A very professional performance without two of our best players. The spirit shown by the whole squad is a big confidence boost for the rest of the season.

Image source, Opta

West Ham will hope to strengthen their grip on an automatic promotion spot in the Championship when they host Southampton on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 15:00 BST).

The Hammers won 1-0 at Swansea last time out to move within one point of the league leaders and extend their unbeaten run to nine games (W6 D3).

Saints, who have lost just one of their past 10 matches (W6 D3), start the weekend in eighth but could cut the gap to West Ham to just two points with victory.

• West Ham have lost just one of their past 13 league games against Southampton (W8 D4), a 3-2 home defeat in December 2021.

• Southampton have lost five of their previous seven away league games against West Ham (D1 L1), conceding 16 goals in that time (2.3 per game).

• West Ham have scored a league-leading 30 goals in the Championship so far this season, their joint-most after their opening 11 games of a league campaign along with 1930-31.

• Only Swansea City (8) have conceded fewer goals in the Championship this season than Southampton (10), with the Saints looking to keep four successive league clean sheets for the first time since February 2016 (run of six).

• West Ham (15.9) and Southampton (15.4) are two of the top three sides in the Championship this season for xG from open play, with Middlesbrough second (15.8).

West Ham United boss Nuno Espirito Santo spoke to BBC Radio London after the 1-0 win at Swansea City on Saturday.

For the match report, and a written selection of his quotes, click here.

We asked for your thoughts after West Ham edged past Swansea City 1-0 to move within a point of the Championship leaders.

West Ham fans

Mickey: The mark of a good team is to eke out results when needed. A victory away at the league leaders, keeping a clean sheet. Extending the unbeaten run. A very good afternoon.

Sue: Good three points but still struggled in the first half. Can't understand why we always start so slow and defensive. Still not confident that we will get promotion. Need to be more attacking. Second half was better.

John: West Ham were resilient, although luck played its part. We squandered chances to go two or three ahead, Swansea also wasted good chances but overall we got the points.

Emma: Thought West Ham produced a decent result today. Wasn't spectacular by any means, but started with intensity and matched Swansea's energy throughout.

Both teams looked like they had their shooting boots on the wrong feet aside from Mukasa, as it could have ended 5-4 or so. Good result away from home against a team who don't concede many so three points happily taken.

Gavin: Three points most important over the performance which wasn't great. I think there are still starting line-up and in-game management improvements we can do to make games a bit more comfortable. But a great win to close the gap and move into automatic spots which is the sole objective of the season.

Adam: We won today thanks to Swansea being poorer than us. Out front play was poor initially, Pablo totally ineffective in holding the ball up or in the challenge.

Our anticipation was off the mark as the ball constantly eluded us and Swansea will be kicking themselves for not going harder at a team that starts slowly.

Pablo should have secured the win but contrived to fluff the best chance of the game before he went off.

Laura Kenyon
BBC Final Score reporter

Image source, Shutterstock

It took Divine intervention to seal all three points for West Ham against Swansea this weekend.

Divine Mukasa – arriving in the box and scoring with the game's first shot on target.

At just 19, the finish showed the composure of a player with far more years of experience in the bank. The celebration was understated.

It was a standout performance all-round from the England Under-19 international, who re-joined his boyhood club this season on loan from Manchester City.

Mukasa's stock is continuing to rise. He is praised by fans, catching the attention of pundits and clearly earning the trust of manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

The stats suggest that is the case - nine appearances from a possible 11 Championship fixtures, in which Mukasa has scored three goals.

West Ham gained ground on the league leaders thanks to a solitary goal from Mukasa, who is being positioned as a key player in their bid to return to the Premier League.

Could his loan move be made permanent come January?