Chris Sutton has predicted the scoreline as West Ham play host to Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday.
West Ham go into the Fulham clash knowing that even a victory will not be enough to get them out of the relegation zone.
Nuno Espirito Santo will be hoping for a bounce from his team after they suffered a 3-0 defeat against Manchester City.
Chris Sutton backs Fulham to win at the London Stadium
Sutton will have potentially annoyed a number of Hammers fans with his prediction for Saturday’s game.
While acknowledging that Nuno managed to get a bounce from his players, he does not expect them to even get a point against the Cottagers.
He believes that Fulham’s recent win against Nottingham Forest will give them the momentum to get maximum points from their cross-city trip.
In his view, things could become tetchy at the London Stadium if the hosts do not start the game strongly and a loss would only add to the pressure on the team.
Predicting a 2-1 win for Fulham, Sutton told the BBC: “West Ham really need a win here. They are staring down the barrel of relegation after taking only two points from their past five games.
“Nuno Espirito Santo got a bit of a bounce at the start of November but they have not maintained that form.
“There does not seem to be much Christmas cheer at London Stadium at the moment and if they get off to a bad start here, things could turn quite quickly.
“Fulham got an important win over Nottingham Forest on Monday, which was enough for them to keep their heads above water in the relegation struggle.
“They always seem to pose a goal threat, and I have a feeling they will have something to celebrate here, too.”
Why West Ham vs Fulham is a must-win for Nuno Espirito Santo
Nuno knows that results have not been good since he took over from Graham Potter at the end of September.
While performances have improved, points on the board are what matter, making it imperative for the Hammers to pick up three points against teams around them on the table.
Fulham may not be in immediate relegation danger, but if they lose to West Ham on Saturday, the difference between the two teams will be down to seven points.
With half the season left to play, it is not a margin that cannot be overcome.
The Irons are already five points adrift of safety and a loss at home would only pile the pressure on Nuno.
He wants the board to back him in the January transfer window, but they will if they can see tangible progress and a clear direction in which the team is heading.
If not, they may look to hand over the reins to someone who is capable of getting the best out of the current crop of players.
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