West Ham United fans are still angry they were forced to play the first four games of the season away from home.
West Ham had to request to play the first four games of the season away from their London Stadium home due to the World Athletic Championships taking place there in the summer.
The IAAF competition and the much-criticised relocatable seating at the ground had to be reconfigured again for football mode, a process which takes around 15 days.
When the club left their beloved Boleyn Ground home of 112 years supporters were worried about the fact West Ham did not own their new stadium and were only anchor tenants.
But those fans were reassured by vice-chairman Karren Brady – who took a lead role in the stadium move and migration – West Ham fixtures would always take precedence over other events and sporting fixtures.
That was not the case at the beginning of the season, though, with three consecutive Premier League away matches against Manchester United, Southampton and Newcastle United resulting in three defeats and a -8 goal difference before a ball had even been kicked at the London Stadium.
Fans were understandably angry at the time and it has come home to roost with the club just two points off the relegation zone with eight games remaining.
West Ham are finally set to even up the home and away game differential in the closing weeks of the season.
But could they be hindered yet again for one of their biggest games in years against the Saints next weekend?
That’s because rugby outfits Saracens and Harlequins go head-to-head at the London Stadium on Saturday, a week before the Moyes’ six-pointer against Mark Hughes’ side.
There are fears among fans the rugby match will churn up the pitch giving Moyes another headache to contend with ahead of the game.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
