Should West Ham lose to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, it could be curtains for under-pressure manager David Moyes, but the Hammers might be relying on another side sacking their manager in their search for a potential replacement.
Graham Potter has failed to impress in his stint at Chelsea, despite Todd Boehly funding some eye-watering transfer deals in January and time could be running out for the former Brighton manager at Stamford Bridge, which West Ham will no doubt be keeping their eye on.
Could Potter replace Moyes at West Ham?
According to Claret and Hugh, West Ham would be one of the first clubs in for the 47-year-old should he face the sack at Chelsea, with his successes at Brighton, Swansea City and Ostersunds FK clearly still meaning that he is held in high regard by those in the Premier League.
The Hammers dropped into the relegation places last weekend after the defeat against Tottenham Hotspur but it seems as if Moyes’ successes last season are also playing a big part in his keeping the job at the London Stadium.
Chelsea legend John Terry will certainly have given his seal of approval when the Blues replaced Thomas Tuchel with Potter earlier in the season, as he tweeted in August, saying:
“How good is Graham Potter? I love how Brighton play and he has to be one of the best young managers around. Ticks every box for me.”
Could Potter keep West Ham away from relegation?
While Potter has struggled since his arrival at Stamford Bridge, he has managed 1.56 points per game in all competitions, while Moyes has mustered just 1.47 points per game, which is also skewed by his perfect record in the FA Cup and Europa Conference League.
A record of 0.87 points per game in the Premier League could be enough to get the Hammers relegated this season so hiring a forward-thinking, attack-minded coach such as Potter could be the catalyst in turning West Ham’s season around.
There is little doubt that the Hammers bolstered their squad with quality in the summer and in January and yet the performances compared to last season have been poor, which suggests that the blame lies with the manager.
Potter has shown what he can do at Brighton on a low budget, having spent just £140m over four transfer windows in a two-year period between 2019 and 2020 to finish no lower than 12th in that time.
With that record in mind, a change at the helm at the London Stadium could provide the necessary boost to keep the Hammers well away from relegation trouble this season.
Therefore, those at West Ham will surely be hoping that Potter gets the sack at Stamford Bridge, and it would not be a surprise to see the Hammers follow their London rivals should the 47-year-old become available as a potential replacement for Moyes.