Bilic expecting even more pressure on West Ham job

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic knows he is going to have to fend off plenty more questions about his future at the London Stadium before the season is out.

The East Londoners are now winless in their last six games stretching back to the beginning of February, and could yet be dragged into a relegation scrap – they are just six points clear of the drop zone.

Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Hull City, where Andrea Ranocchia scored an 85th-minute winner to give the Tigers three crucial points in their own bid to escape the drop, will have only compounded Hammers fans’ misery.

But Bilic insists his focus is on keeping his players’ spirits up, rather than his own fate at the club should the side keep on losing.

“The only way you can stop the speculation is if you win games or get a point or climb up the table,” he said.

“After four defeats of course I can expect even more speculation, but as I said I wasn’t worried before and I’m not worried now.

“I’m doing my job. I’m very motivated and very positive. Speculation and all that – I said ages ago it doesn’t affect me. I don’t read it.

“I know it, it’s there of course. We are all disappointed, everybody with me in the dressing room, but my morale is always high – it’s my job.

“I’m totally motivated and focused. We have another game very soon, a chance to make it up, to start winning games.

“Of course it’s not easy to have a great atmosphere when you have four defeats out of four games, but it’s now down to us to show our team spirit and character.”