Pellegrini faces St Mary’s showdown as West Ham eye potential replacements
West Ham United have already made moves to sound out potential replacements for Manuel Pellegrini in readiness to sack him if his team lose to Southampton today.
After seven defeats in 10 Premier League matches, it is thought that one more loss against the relegation strugglers at St Mary’s will mark the end for Pellegrini.
Having been considering his position for a number of weeks, the West Ham hierarchy have had time to find out which managers might be available to take over on either an interim or long-term basis.
Everton’s search for an interim or permanent replacement for Marco Silva has complicated matters, as David Moyes, who is keen to return to Goodison Park, is on their list.
West Ham’s academy coach Kevin Keen and Chris Hughton are considerations until the end of the season, while 72-year-old Harry Redknapp could listen to an unlikely offer from his former club.
Given the perceived lack of connection between Pellegrini and the West Ham crowd, the club’s board are thought to favour a British replacement although that view could change if the right foreign candidate were found.
In terms of more long-term options – who West Ham would most
likely have to wait until the summer to bring to the London Stadium – Burnley’s Sean Dyche, Sheffield United’s Chris Wilder and Bournemouth’s Eddie Howe are all in the frame, as co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold seek to find someone to get the best out of their expensively-assembled squad.
Striker Sebastien Haller joined for a club record £45million and started the season with three goals in his first three games. But he has netted only once since then and has been dropped in recent weeks.
Haller may well start again on the substitutes’ bench, behind Michail Antonio, against Southampton.