Kalvin Phillips’ red card tops off bad day for David Moyes and West Ham at Forest

A crisis appears to have been reached when even your own fans are chanting “You’re getting sacked in the morning” and “Boring, boring West Ham”.

Kalvin Phillips was sent off, further undermining David Moyes’ hold on his job, but the West Ham manager responded calmly. Six days after losing 6-0 at home to Arsenal, the West Ham manager’s gamble in putting his faith in the England midfielder on loan from Manchester City is backfiring.

Moyes stated that West Ham’s victories over some of the Premier League’s leading lights, which propelled them to sixth position, indicate that they are on the right track. And “there’s no divine right for West Ham not to have a dicky period” if Newcastle, Manchester United, and Arsenal can have terrible spells.

Moyes, whose contract expires in the summer, sent Phillips out for two bookable offences after Taiwo Awoniyi opened the score for Nottingham Forest, who earned their first three points of the year to move five points clear of the relegation zone. That goal came in the fifth minute of first-half added time, and Callum Hudson-Odoi scored the game-winning goal in the fifth minute of extra time at the end.
Forest could have won even more if it hadn’t been for Alphonse Areola’s goal against West Ham. Nuno Espírito Santo’s team outperformed West Ham by being quick on the ball, taking risks, having a strong front four, and defending pragmatically.
After Moyes equalled his worst run in charge of the club with eight winless games, which he last had when he began his second stint in early 2020, the West Ham players went over to applaud the travelling supporters, some of whom held banners reading “Moyes out” and “GSB out,” referring to the club’s owners Vanessa Gold, David Sullivan, and Karren Brady.

Moyes has amassed credit in the bank at West Ham, who remain in the top half of the standings, but this is offset by the fans’ hostility. After winning the Europa Conference League last season, their first major trophy in 43 years, and selling Declan Rice for £105 million, they still have a Europa League final-16 clash to look forward to next month. However, since their playmaker Lucas Paquetá was injured, it appears that rot has set in.

Moyes stated that West Ham’s victories over some of the Premier League’s leading lights, which propelled them to sixth position, indicate that they are on the right track. And “there’s no divine right for West Ham not to have a dicky period” if Newcastle, Manchester United, and Arsenal can have terrible spells.