BRIGHTON, England (AP) - West Ham’s week of turmoil ended with a 3-1 loss at Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday.
Goals from Glenn Murray, Jose Izquierdo and Pascal Gross secured a second win in 14 matches for Brighton to boost its chances of avoiding the drop.
Javier Hernandez was on target for West Ham, but it was a miserable end to a turbulent few days for the east London club, which fired head of recruitment Tony Henry after claims he told agents they did not want to sign any more African players.
Anger and frustration toward the West Ham board from supporters is at an all-time high following the scandal, as well as an underwhelming transfer window which saw a club linked with Olivier Giroud, Michy Batshuayi and Daniel Sturridge end up with signing Jordan Hugill from Preston.
Indeed, the first chants of “Sack the board” were belted out from the away end even before Murray put Brighton ahead in only the eighth minute.
The goal came after referee Roger East allowed play to continue despite Aaron Cresswell’s foul on Anthony Knockaert, and Gross immediately pinged the loose ball to Murray.
The striker, who scored twice in Brighton’s 3-0 dismantling of Slaven Bilic’s West Ham in October, strode forward and coolly sidefooted past Adrian for his 10th goal of the season.
Amid the off-field controversy, West Ham manager David Moyes is also dealing with a spate of injuries and indiscipline. Arthur Masuaku is still serving a lengthy ban for spitting and Michail Antonio was dropped midweek for being late to a meeting.
Until now at least, West Ham has been eking out the points which have been keeping West Ham at arm’s length from the relegation battle. But West Ham is now three points above the relegation zone in 12th, just ahead of Brighton on goal difference.
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