West Ham United's dismal Premier League form has plunged manager Nuno Espirito Santo into a desperate fight to save his job, with speculation intensifying over a potential successor at the London Stadium.
Nuno's Grip Slips After Forest Defeat
The pressure on the Portuguese boss reached a new peak following a heartbreaking 2-1 home defeat to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night. The Hammers had taken an early lead and held it until the 55th minute, only for a late Morgan Gibbs-White penalty to snatch victory for the visitors.
This latest setback comes after a 3-0 loss at Wolverhampton Wanderers and leaves West Ham in a perilous position. The club now sits 18th in the table, seven points from safety, with Forest just one place above them.
Espirito Santo, who was only appointed on September 27, 2025 following the departure of Graham Potter, has overseen a miserable run. In his 16 games in charge, he has managed just two victories. Despite publicly urging resilience and unity, his tenure appears to be on the brink of collapse.
Carrick Emerges as Front-Runner for Hot Seat
Attention has swiftly turned to who might replace him, and a familiar face leads the betting. Former Hammers midfielder and England international Michael Carrick is the clear favourite at odds of 4/7 to take over.
Intriguingly, Carrick is also in the frame for a role at another of his former clubs, Manchester United. Following the sacking of Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford, Carrick has reportedly held talks about becoming caretaker manager. However, bookmakers believe West Ham could move first to secure his services.
Another former manager is also in contention. Slaven Bilic, who both played for and managed the club, is second-favourite at 11/8. The Croatian previously led West Ham to a 7th-place finish in the 2015-16 season.
Who Else is in the Frame?
The list of potential candidates includes several other high-profile names, reflecting the scale of the task at the London Stadium. The latest odds from BetVictor highlight the main contenders:
- Michael Carrick: 4/7
- Slaven Bilic: 11/8
- Ruben Amorim: 5/1
- Enzo Maresca: 8/1
- Frank Lampard: 14/1
Both Amorim and Maresca are recently out of work, while Lampard, a West Ham academy graduate, is earning plaudits for his work at Coventry City.
Next Manager to Leave: Nuno Heavily Odds-On
Regardless of who might come in, the markets are convinced a change is imminent in east London. Nuno Espirito Santo is the overwhelming 1/10 favourite to be the next Premier League manager to leave his post.
Tottenham's Thomas Frank is a distant second in that market at 12/1, underscoring the precariousness of Nuno's position. West Ham's immediate focus turns to the FA Cup third round against QPR on Saturday, before a daunting Premier League trip to Tottenham Hotspur a week later.
