Alan Shearer drops West Ham and Tottenham relegation claim on Match of the Day: ‘Fans will be screaming at me’
Alan Shearer still believes that West Ham will be relegated from the Premier League this season despite their improved form over the last few weeks.
The Hammers have been embroiled in a relegation battle for the majority of the season as their 14-year stay in the top flight threatens to come to an end.
Nuno Espirito Santo was appointed as West Ham’s new boss earlier in the campaign to save them from going down, but he was able to win just two of his first 16 games in charge.
Victories against Tottenham and Sunderland last month pushed them back towards safety, and they headed to 19th-placed Burnley on Saturday in need of another three points.
West Ham beat the Clarets 2-0 at Turf Moor through goals from Crysencio Summerville and Pablo, but Shearer is still unsure they have what it takes to survive.
Shearer still believes West Ham will be relegated over Forest
17th-placed Nottingham Forest were beaten 3-1 by Leeds on Friday night, so the Hammers’ win put them to within three points of safety with 13 games left to play.
Leeds, Tottenham and Crystal Palace are each three points ahead of Forest, on 29 as it stands, with the latter having a game in hand to pull away from relegation danger.
Even though West Ham have improved and Forest fans want Sean Dyche sacked after winning just two of their last nine league matches, Shearer still believes that Nuno’s side will succumb to the drop this season.
Speaking as a pundit on Saturday’s Match of the Day, he said: “When you look at Palace and the form that they’re in…I mean Tottenham, surely Tottenham can’t be pulled into that relegation battle? They’re going to have to start winning games, and rather sharpishly.
“West Ham, I still think (will be relegated), if you’re going to ask me, I know you’re going to ask me so I’ll probably just say West Ham, just. I can hear the West Ham fans screaming at me now!”
Opta are predicting West Ham to be relegated over Forest
West Ham take on an in-form Man United at the London Stadium on Tuesday, while their upcoming fixtures do not get much easier with games against Bournemouth, Liverpool and Fulham over the next month.
Forest face Wolves on Wednesday in a real chance to open the gap at the bottom once more, while they then take on Liverpool, Brighton and Man City in their next few league matches.
It is clear that this race for survival is expected to go right to the wire, and Opta‘s supercomputer has backed Shearer by also predicting the Hammers to lose the battle and finish in 18th spot.
Nuno’s side have a 72.4 per cent chance of going down as it stands, compared to Forest’s 15.86 per cent and Leeds’ 6.36 per cent chances of relegation this season.