Huge significance has been added to the West Ham clash with Leeds and Sam Allardyce as Hammers could relegate the visitors at the London Stadium.
West Ham all but officially secured Premier League safety with a 1-0 win over Manchester United a little over a week ago.
But for Leeds United the fight may not even go down to the final game of the season.
With a European semi-final second leg to come on Thursday night, David Moyes was always going to make changes for West Ham’s game at Brentford on Sunday.
He duly made nine and the Hammers were comfortably beaten 2-0.
Leeds secured what was – on paper at least – a good result in drawing 2-2 with Newcastle on Saturday.
It now looks very much like being two from four out of of Nottingham Forest, Everton, Leicester and Leeds to follow Southampton into the Championship.
West Ham can relegate Leeds and former manager Sam Allardyce by beating them on Sunday
Further seal will be put on West Ham’s own survival if Liverpool beat Leicester under the lights at Anfield on Monday night, as expected.
West Ham then welcome Leeds to the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon in what looks set to be a do or die clash for the visitors.
Because huge significance has been added to the West Ham clash with Leeds and Sam Allardyce as the Hammers could relegate the visitors at the London Stadium.
That’s right, West Ham could relegate Leeds and their old boss by beating them on Sunday.
Fireman Sam marked West Ham out as Leeds’ “easiest” game during run-in
When Allardyce was appointed as Leeds boss recently he had plenty to say for himself.
That included ear-marking West Ham as the “easiest” game Leeds had left to play.
He may be eating his words on Sunday, though.
Because if Everton win at ‘on the beach’ Wolves and Forest pick up a point at home against a crestfallen Arsenal on Saturday, Leeds will be relegated if they lose to West Ham the next day.
Allardyce did a great job for West Ham and was the bitter medicine the club needed at the time
For all his faults and pig-headed nature, Allardyce did a superb job during his four years at West Ham.
Fireman Sam – as he is now being called – was the bitter medicine West Ham needed when he got them by the scruff of the beck and into shape to bounce back to the Premier League in 2011/12.
He then helped consolidate the Hammers in the top flight before reaching a bit of a ceiling at the club. That was perhaps best emphasised by Allardyce cupping his ear to West Ham fans who jeered the team off during a turgid victory over Hull.
Judging by Leeds’ two performances under him thus far, had they hired Allardyce earlier he would have kept them up comfortably.
So it will be no easy game for Moyes’ side on Sunday. And West Ham will hopefully have a European final to plan for by then too.
But there is no escaping the fact West Ham can be the ones to send Leeds and Allardyce down this Sunday depending on those other results.
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