Stuart Pearce backs Manuel Pellegrini’s comments about West Ham fans

Follow us on Google Discover

Hammers fans were seen leaving the London Stadium in the 80th minute against Bournemouth.

West Ham United icon Stuart Pearce has told Sky Sports’ The Debate that Manuel Pellegrini was right to question fans for leaving early during the Hammers’ 2-1 loss to Bournemouth – and also bemoaned the side’s bad luck with injuries.

Fans were seen leaving the London Stadium as early as the 80th minute during the loss to Bournemouth, as the Cherries came from behind to cancel out Marko Arnautovic’s opener and score through Callum Wilson and Steve Cook.

It sees Pellegrini’s new side sit second bottom in the Premier League, after losing 4-0 to Liverpool at Anfield on the opening weekend of the new season.

Pellegrini was quoted by BBC Sport as saying: “The stadium was empty with 10 minutes to go, we can still score in that time. They need to believe.”

Pearce underlined the lack of luck West Ham have when it comes to injuries, as Winston Reid, Manuel Lanzini and Andy Carroll remain sidelined before backing Pellegrini for his criticism of the east Londoners’ fanbase.

“Let me create what Pellegrini has gone into,” Pearce said. “The seven months I was at West Ham, we never left a senior player in the stand because we didn’t have one fit – the first time we did it was James Collins on May 5.

“Lanzini is out for the season, international injury. Andy Carroll, three months out and Winston Reid. Liverpool at home puts you on the back foot and then you’re at home.

“You know it doesn’t take much for West Ham fans to turn a little bit and leave the Stadium and he’s [Pellegrini] right saying what he has – we need to unite as a football club.”

West Ham face a tough task to put things right this weekend as they travel across London to face Unai Emery’s new side Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

The Hammers will take positives from the fact that Arsenal have also lost their opening two Premier League fixtures, losing to Manchester City at home before Chelsea earned a 3-2 win at Stamford Bridge over the north Londoners.