Under-pressure West Ham boss Julen Lopetgui receives added motivation to beat Newcastle United as shock report emerges

Under-pressure West Ham United boss Julen Lopetegui faces a make or break test against Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Monday night. Guardian Sport reports that the Hammers board are already preparing to part ways with the newly-appointed Spaniard, whose side have underwhelmed this term despite spending more than £132m on new recruits over the summer.

The former Spain and Real Madrid boss has won just three of his opening 11 Premier League games with West Ham, leaving the East London side 14th in the table, just five points ahead of the drop zone and already trailing by six points in the race for Europe.

West Ham have shipped 19 goals, which is the fifth most in the Premier League while their tally of 13 goals is also the fifth lowest in the division. David Sullivan, West Ham’s largest shareholder, has been reluctant to make mid-season firings in the past, but has grown increasingly concerned at the manner of the team’s performances since the start of the season.

The report states that Sullivan has given Lopetegui a two-game ‘ultimatum’ to prove he has a future with the club - starting with West Ham’s trip to an improving Newcastle United side. The game at St James’ Park is then followed by another difficult test at home to Premier League title hopefuls Arsenal.

West Ham have not publicly commented on Lopetegui’s future, but the Guardian claims that the club has already started to sound out candidates to replace him at the London Stadium. Former Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic, who defeated Newcastle twice in the Champions League group stage last term, is one of the leading candidates, while internal checks on former Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand, former Benfica coach Roger Schmidt and Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness are also believed to be taking place.

West Ham are looking for a coach with European pedigree but have not ruled out a move for former Brighton boss Graham Potter, who has been out of work since leaving Chelsea in April 2023.

Potter is renowned for playing exciting football from his time at Brighton and Swansea City, and is also a shrewd operator in the transfer market. West Ham are yet to beat Newcastle in the Eddie Howe era. Their last victory over the Magpies was a 4-2 triumph against Steve Bruce’s side on the opening day of the 2021/22 campaign.