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“I am delighted to welcome Manuel Pellegrini to West Ham United. He is one of the world’s most respected football coaches and we look forward to working with him," joint-chairman David Sullivan told the club's official website. “It was important that we appointed someone with knowledge and experience of the Premier League, who already has an understanding – not only of the teams and players we face – but of West Ham United and our ambitions." What could possibly go wrong?

West Ham: Martin, Cresswell, Fredericks, Balbuena, Ogbonna, Rice, Noble, Fornals, Anderson, Snodgrass, Antonio. Subs: Roberto, Zabaleta, Sanchez, Haller, Diop, Masuaku, Holland.
Arsenal: Leno, Bellerin, Tierney, Sokratis, Chambers, Torreira, Xhaka, Ozil, Pepe, Martinelli, Aubameyang. Subs: Martinez, Luiz, Maitland-Niles, Guendouzi, Nelson, Saka, Lacazette.

Despite having been sacked as Bayern Munich manager, Niko Kovac is a man in demand, and as such has been 'linked' with the vacant managerial job at Hammers Monday night opponents Arsenal. Some wishful thinkers are hoping that his previously announced attendance at the London Stadium could possibly be a portent of him replacing Manuel Pellegrini instead!

Renowned for giving struggling teams a helping hand, West Ham face Arsenal on Monday night in a fixture that threatens to continue the visitors worst run in their modern day history, a terrible run of results that culminated in the sacking of Unai Emery. Traditionally West Ham will flatter to deceive before Arsenal, guided by former Hammer Freddy Lungberg, finally steal the points in a smash and grab raid.

Wolves: Patricio; Dendoncker, Coady, Saiss, Doherty, Neves, Moutinho, Jonny, Traore, Jimenez, Jota. Subs: Ruddy, Bennett, Kilman, Vinagre, Neto, Cutrone, Ashley-Seal.
West Ham: Martin; Fredericks, Balbuena, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Rice, Noble, Snodgrass, Fornals, Anderson, Haller. Subs: Roberto, Zabaleta, Sanchez, Yarmolenko, Masuaku, Ajeti, Holland.

Crikey Mikey, Hammers fans prayed for David Martin, son of West Ham and England legend Alvin Martin, to start in goal to replace 'Calamity Jiminez', lo and behold the 'grey one' acquiesced and started the ex-Millwall stopper with a baptism of fire at the Bridge against high flying Chelsea.

Chelsea: Kepa, James, Zouma, Tomori, Emerson, Jorginho, Kovacic, Mount, Pedro, Pulisic, Giroud. Subs: Caballero, Christensen, Azpilicueta, Kante, Willian, Hudson-Odoi, Batshuayi.
West Ham: Martin, Fredericks, Balbuena, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Noble, Rice, Fornals, Snodgrass, Anderson, Antonio. Subs: Roberto, Zabaleta, Masuaku, Ajeti, Sanchez, Yarmolenko, Haller.

Such has been the clamour to replace 'calamity' keeper Roberto Jiminez Gago from the West Ham United starting line up, or even the match day squad entirely, that all sorts of alternatives have been mooted.

As the managerial tumbrel awaits collecting it's next victim, all the talk is not if, but when, Manuel Pellegrini's tenure at the London Stadium will come to an end, and more intriguingly who will replace him? Chris Hughton is currently the flavour of the day, but West Ham United covet Eddie Howe, Rafa Benitez and Sean Dyche are the other names in the frame but realistically aren't going to happen.

Manuel Pellegrini is a very experienced manager, and as such he must clearly see the writing on the wall regarding his tenure at West Ham United, the 66 year old Chilean has joined Unai Emery, Quique Sánchez Flores, Ralph Hasenhüttl and Marco Silva on the list of who will get the sack next. In a week that also saw the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino from Tottenham, despite taking them to the Champion's League final last season, Pellegrini would do well to consider his options.