Grant: I'd quit if I felt we could go down

Avram Grant's position at Upton Park has appeared precarious since last week's heavy defeat at Newcastle, yet the West Ham United manager insists there would have been a change already if he felt his team were likely to be relegated.

The 55-year-old has overseen one defeat in seven games – albeit the thrashing at St James' Park – and yesterday declared he would quit the club if he believed they would stay in their position at the bottom. "If I thought we would be in the bottom three at the end of the season, I would not be here," he said, ahead of tonight's home game against Arsenal. "I would leave and say that maybe someone else can do the job better than me. But I don't think that will be the situation.

"We are in the middle of something and we analyse everything. I think the football is okay, and sometimes more than okay, the spirit is okay, there is no problem about tactics."

Martin O'Neill and Sam Allardyce have been suggested as possible candidates to succeed Grant. However, the Israeli has managed to withstand the fierce speculation