After guiding West Ham to a seventh placed finish upon his arrival last season, Slaven Bilic had established himself as the darling of East London.
Having played for the Hammers during his early career, the Croatian proved a welcome tonic to the Sam Allardyce induced bore fest that had dogged the Irons.
Leading them into a new stadium, the 48-year-old appeared to be on an upward trajectory after strong backing from the club’s board over the course of the summer.
However, life in the London Stadium has proved difficult for the club both on and off the field.
Winning just one of their opening six league games, reports from the Sun claim the former Besiktas boss has just three games to save his job.
Now more than ever, Bilic desperately needs the players who served him so well at times last term to finally show up.
Here’s THREE he simply must play to save his career.
Sam Byram
Considering Bilic’s problems in the full-back department, the perennial omission of Sam Byram is a glaring one.
A hugely rated prospect at Leeds United, the versatile 22-year-old can operate on either the left or the right, making him an ideal option amid an injury crisis.
Havard Nordviet has barely convinced in his own defensive midfield position, never mind when he’s deployed in an unfamiliar full-back role.
Diafra Sakho
This summer saw a breakdown in the relationship between Diafra Sakho and West Ham, with the forward having a move to West Brom fall at the final hurdle.
Still, Simone Zaza has barely convinced at all since joining from Juventus and Bilic desperately lacks a palpable goal threat that isn’t Michail Antonio headers.
With that in mind, Sakho would surely be a better option than the struggling Italian.
Pedro Obiang
The Hammers’ midfield has lacked dynamism, even with Cheikhou Kouyate in a central berth.
The Senegalese is usually the driving force in the engine room, though even he looks bereft of confidence amid this awful run.
Considering that, fans’ favourite Pedro Obiang would be a welcome addition to the middle of the park, able to provide some much-needed energy.
