Nuno on West Ham vs Liverpool Relegation Prep East London 2026

Key Points

• The Hammers trail Nottingham Forest by two points and Tottenham Hotspur by four points, desperately needing victories to have any chance of survival.
• West Ham United are currently languishing in 18th position in the Premier League table for the 2025-26 season, facing a serious threat of relegation.
• Nuno Espírito Santo, West Ham’s manager, held a pre-match press conference ahead of the Premier League fixture against Liverpool at Anfield this Saturday.
• Nuno acknowledged that “the results we need are not coming,” highlighting the team’s struggle to secure points despite some improving performances.
• He praised recent aspects of team performances, specifically noting improvements in certain areas and the motivation gained from a clean sheet in their match against Bournemouth.
• Nuno emphasised the need to “bounce back,” preparing his side for a tough trip to face Liverpool, whose own season has underperformed expectations but remains a formidable challenge.
• The match represents a critical juncture for West Ham, who are under mounting pressure as the relegation battle intensifies.

East London (East London Times) February 26, 2026 – West Ham United manager Nuno Espírito Santo has urged his squad to bounce back from their dismal form as they prepare to face Liverpool at Anfield this Saturday in a crucial Premier League clash, with the Hammers teetering on the brink of relegation in 18th place. Nuno’s comments came during his pre-match press conference, where he candidly admitted the team’s failure to secure vital results despite glimpses of improvement. Currently two points behind Nottingham Forest and four adrift of Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham find themselves in dire straits, necessitating immediate wins to salvage their top-flight status.

What Did Nuno Espírito Santo Say About West Ham’s Form?

As reported across multiple outlets covering Nuno’s press conference, the Portuguese manager laid bare the Hammers’ predicament. “Unfortunately the results we need are not coming,” Nuno stated directly, underscoring the gap between effort and outcomes in recent matches.

He tempered this gloom by highlighting positives, noting that performances are “improving in some aspects,” which offers a sliver of optimism amid the gloom.​

Nuno specifically referenced the clean sheet achieved against Bournemouth as a key motivator. “The clean sheet [against Bournemouth] motivates us,” he added, pointing to defensive resilience as an area of growth that could prove pivotal against Liverpool’s attacking threats. These remarks, drawn from the official pre-match briefing, reflect Nuno’s balanced assessment, refusing to sugarcoat the challenges while rallying his players.

Why Are West Ham Struggling in the 2025-26 Premier League Season?

West Ham’s position in 18th place paints a stark picture of their season’s woes, far worse than even Liverpool’s underperformance relative to pre-season expectations.

The Hammers’ proximity to the relegation zone—merely two points off Nottingham Forest—amplifies the urgency, with every remaining fixture now a must-win. Four points behind Tottenham Hotspur further illustrates the mountain they must climb, as survival hinges on halting a slide that has left fans and pundits alike anxious.

Nuno’s admission that results are not materialising despite performance upticks suggests deeper issues, possibly tactical, squad depth, or mentality under pressure. The trip to Anfield this Saturday looms large, pitting a desperate West Ham against a Liverpool side that, despite their own disappointments, possess quality to exploit any Hammers’ frailties. As covered in preliminary match previews, West Ham

“really need to start finding results—and in particular, managing to record a few victories,”

to shift the narrative.​

How Does Liverpool’s Season Compare to West Ham’s Challenges?

For as poorly as Liverpool’s 2025-26 season has unfolded compared to lofty expectations, West Ham’s plight is even more precarious.

The Reds’ struggles have been well-documented, yet they remain ahead of the Hammers in the table, making Saturday’s encounter a potential banana skin. Nuno’s preparation focuses on bouncing back, with his press conference remarks framing the match as a defining moment.

“We have to bounce back,” Nuno declared, encapsulating the mindset required to face Jurgen Klopp’s successors or whoever helms Liverpool—a side that still harbours top-six aspirations despite inconsistencies. This contrast underscores West Ham’s greater peril, where a loss could all but seal their fate, while Liverpool seek to steady their own ship.​

What Improvements Has Nuno Noted in West Ham’s Performances?

Delving deeper into Nuno’s analysis, he pinpointed specific advancements beyond mere rhetoric. Performances are “improving in some aspects,” he observed, a nod to tactical evolutions or individual contributions that have yet to translate into points.

The Bournemouth clean sheet stands out as tangible evidence, boosting morale and providing a blueprint for defensive solidity against Liverpool’s forwards.​

In the context of relegation scraps, such defensive metrics are gold dust. Nuno’s comments, as relayed in real-time from the presser, suggest a team on the cusp of turning corners, provided they harness this momentum. East London supporters, weary of dropped points, will hope this translates into Anfield heroics.

Who Are West Ham’s Closest Relegation Rivals?

The arithmetic is unforgiving: West Ham sit two points behind Nottingham Forest, a side scrapping equally hard for survival.

Tottenham Hotspur, four points clear, represent a more distant but psychologically significant buffer—overcoming them requires not just wins but rivals’ stumbles. Nuno’s side cannot afford further slip-ups, with the Liverpool fixture a high-stakes opener to a grueling run-in.

As Nuno prepares his charges, the focus sharpens on key personnel—perhaps Niclas Füllkrug’s impending return from loan, as speculated in related coverage, could bolster the attack. Every point now carries exponential weight in this three-way tussle at the bottom.​

When and Where Is the West Ham vs Liverpool Match?

The Premier League action unfolds this Saturday at Anfield, Liverpool’s fortress, placing West Ham in hostile territory. Nuno’s pre-match words, delivered just days prior on February 26, 2026, set the tone for what could be a relegation six-pointer in all but name.

Timing is critical; with the season in its febrile phase, postponements or disruptions are minimal, heightening the stakes.

Fans in East London, from Stratford to the London Stadium faithful, will watch with bated breath, hoping Nuno’s bounce-back call ignites a spark.

Why Is a Clean Sheet Against Bournemouth Significant?

Nuno’s emphasis on the Bournemouth shutout is no throwaway line. In a campaign plagued by leaky defending, securing a clean sheet signals progress in organisation and resilience—essentials against Liverpool’s prowess. “It motivates us,” Nuno reiterated, linking this feat directly to preparations for Anfield.​

This defensive milestone, amid otherwise barren results, could prove the catalyst. As reported, it underscores improvements Nuno detects, even if the scoreboard lags.

How Urgent Is West Ham’s Need for Victories?

Bluntly, survival demands “a few victories,” as the original coverage frames it—West Ham are at the point of no return. Nuno’s press conference crystallized this: without results, improved performances ring hollow. Two points from Forest, four from Spurs—the maths screams urgency.​

The Liverpool trip tests resolve; triumph here catapults them up, defeat entrenches misery. Nuno’s leadership, blending candour with hope, positions him as the fulcrum.

What Lies Ahead for West Ham After Liverpool?

Post-Anfield, the fixture list offers no respite, with derbies and direct rivals aplenty. Nuno’s strategy—build on Bournemouth’s positives, ignore Liverpool’s aura—must yield. Füllkrug’s potential London Stadium return adds intrigue, potentially fortifying the frontline.​

Yet, as Nuno implores a bounce back, the onus is immediate. West Ham’s 2025-26 fate teeters, hinging on Saturday’s outcome.

In the broader Premier League landscape, such battles define legacies. Nuno, ever the pragmatist, eyes the horizon: results over rhetoric. East London’s Hammers nation holds its collective breath.