Make no mistake about it Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham future is on the line at Leicester City and he knows it.
The Hammers head to the King Power to take on Leicester knowing defeat could see Julen Lopetegui sacked.
West Ham’s owners were deliberating axing the manager over the last international break.
The Spaniard was granted two games to save his job.
West Ham then picked up a shock 2-0 win at Newcastle last week.
But the club’s hierarchy – who are reportedly divided over keeping Lopetegui as manager – wanted to see proof that win and performance was a turning point.
Another shambolic collapse against London rivals Arsenal had the opposite effect, though.
Yesterday it was revealed West Ham chief David Sullivan has activated his plan B.
Since then a journalist close to the majority owner has claimed that Hammers plan B is Sergio Conceicao – and he wants the job.
Hammers News were the first to reveal West Ham’s interest in Conceicao back in October.
Now it’s claimed he’s emerged as the prime target to replace Lopetegui should things go wrong at Leicester and against Wolves in the next six days.
With so much riding on the game, Lopetegui has to make sure he gets his team selection and tactics right.
Tortured Lopetegui’s unexpected West Ham selection headaches
The 58-year-old has faced criticism over those things since his arrival in east London.
Lopetegui has often been forced to make wholesale changes at half-time of games after getting the starting XI and approach all wrong.
He even had to bring Guido Rodriguez off after just 30-odd minutes in a thrashing at home to Chelsea.
Now tortured Lopetegui is facing unexpected West Ham selection headaches just hours out from the Leicester clash.
Ruud van Nistelrooy takes charge of his first game as Leicester boss.
Many feel that new manager bounce could bounce West Ham’s manager right out of the Hammers exit door.
Even Lopetegui himself has been getting his excuses in early, saying it will be tough for West Ham to beat Leicester because of the Van Nistelrooy effect.
That’s despite the Foxes being below the lowly Hammers in the table and one of only three Premier League teams to have conceded more than them this season.
The club revealed yesterday Lopetegui is facing a West Ham defensive crisis for Leicester.
West Ham stated that Jean-Clair Todibo, Konstantinos Mavropanos and youngster Kaelan Casey are all doubts.
The huge decision on what to do about the defence is not the only problem for the Hammers’ under pressure boss, though.
Hammers boss must make huge calls which could decide future
Lucas Paqueta was handed a surprise reprieve yesterday by the Brazilian authorities in the spot-fixing case against him.
The Brazilian was required to give evidence via zoom as West Ham faced Leicester.
That is no longer the case for the time being and it means Paqueta is now available for the big game.
Rather than being a boost for Lopetegui, though, it gives him a major problem to address.
Mohammed Kudus also returns after a five-game ban.
Some have said Kudus should be made to earn his place back in the side.
If West Ham were flying then that argument may hold water.
But Kudus is by far and away the most talented player Lopetegui has at his disposal.
That’s why the player, and West Ham fans, have been so frustrated at the manager’s failure to get the best out of the Ghanaian – playing him out of position on the left.
That decision has also meant Crysencio Summerville, who has become a big fan favourite, has been relegated to the bench when Kudus plays.
Hammers fans have argued Kudus should be playing in a more central role instead of Paqueta.
Lopetegui under pressure to drop Paqueta for Leicester
The player himself even made it clear that’s where he prefers to play.
Paqueta was awful in the 5-2 defeat to Arsenal – costing West Ham at least two goals.
With Paqueta available, Lopetegui must drop either him or Summerville or keep Kudus on the bench.
Dropping Summerville would be extremely unpopular with fans, many of whom are already calling for the manager’s head.
Keeping Kudus on the bench would be nothing short of ludicrous given Lopetegui knows he could be sacked if West Ham lose.
What Lopetegui decides could literally have a massive bearing on whether he survives.
There is little chance Casey will be thrown in for a game of this magnitude.
After all Lopetegui has given zero minutes to Academy players this season.
If he is without Todibo and Mavropanos then it leaves Max Kilman as the only senior centre-back.
The manager will be agonising over what to do about Paqueta, Kudus and Summerville.
At the back he may have little option but to drop Edson Alvarez in there.
Or play Alvarez and Aaron Cresswell either side of Kilman in a back three.
But that would give Lopetegui even less wiggle room in midfield over his big decision.
One thing is for sure whatever he decides, he can’t afford to make the wrong call.
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