It was yet another 90 minutes to forget for West Ham on Friday night after their 2-1 defeat away against Leeds. Speaking after the game, Club captain Jarrod Bowen admitted it is up to him and his teammates to show some fight with the Hammers on just four points after their opening nine games.

Two goals in the opening fifteen minutes from the home side meant Nuno Espirito Santo’s men were facing an uphill battle early on. Summer signing Mateus Fernandes’ first goal of the campaign was nothing more than a mere consolation as Leeds held on to claim all three points.

In what has been a disastrous start to the 2025/26 campaign, the Premier League table certainly makes for grim reading for West Ham fans at the moment with the club languishing in 19th place.

Speaking to the Club’s Official Website after the 2-1 defeat, Bowen said: “Obviously, when you’re second bottom in the league and you’ve won one game all season, the feeling is low. I think the only way that’s going to change is if we as players step up, show some character, roll our sleeves up and get ready for the fight.”

The England international was honest in his assessment of the Hammers’ current plight, admitting that both performances and results have to improve quickly if the club are to pull themselves out of the bottom three. “We have to face up to the reality of where we are, and get results. We’ve done that over the years, but we’re not doing that now, and we’re not playing well, so we need to change that.” said Bowen.

Every match the Hammers go into at the moment is labelled a must win, and that’s no different heading into their next two fixtures, both at home. The first is Newcastle, followed by a crucial clash with Burnley. Whilst securing three points against Eddie Howe’s side looks a tall order at present, Nuno’s side need to get something from that game, which makes the Burnley fixture all the more vital in their fight to pick up points.

Supporters adore Jarrod Bowen and worship the ground he walks on. However, their patience will have worn thin after hearing the same sentiments echoed by players and manager alike after every defeat. The responsibility now lies with Nuno to pick the strongest starting eleven, after questionable lineups the past two games, and for the players to show a sense of fight out on the pitch and their determination to steer the club away from trouble.