Sam Allardyce feeling the pressure as West Ham manager ahead of must win games against West Brom and Fulham

The Hammers boss knows his side need positive results against West Brom and Fulham to rescue disappointing season

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce looks despondent after his side were beaten 3-1 by Arsenal. (GETTY IMAGES)

Sam Allardyce has admitted that he is feeling the pressure as West Ham manager, and knows that upcoming results are crucial if he is to avoid becoming the seventh Premier League boss to lose their job this season.

Defeat at home to Arsenal on Boxing Day meant that his team dropped into the bottom three, but the 59-year-old is aware that impending games against their relegation rivals are critical to West Ham’s season as well as his own future.

“You can always lose to Arsenal, but our big games are West Brom and Fulham in the next two. West Brom is becoming a must win, without being over-anxious or over-adventurous.”

The Hammers took a second-half lead against the league leaders through Carlton Cole, but wasted a number of good chances to double their advantage and eventually fell to Theo Walcott’s brace and a goal from Lukas Podolski.

“We let it slip through our fingers. We had a great opportunity to beat the top of the league team, unfortunately we didn't take that and we paid the price.“

Although Allardyce has guided West Ham to a Capital One Cup semi-final, they have won just one of their previous 11 Premier League games and sit 19th in the table, two points from safety. They welcome West Brom to the Boleyn Ground on Saturday lunchtime before travelling to Craven Cottage to face 18th placed Fulham on New Year’s Day.