Gold hoping for Hammers miracle

West Ham co-owner David Gold believes the club needs a miracle if they are to remain in the English Premier League next season.

The Hammers have not won in their last eight matches in all competitions, leaving them at the foot of the table, three points behind 19th-placed Wigan and four points from safety.

With just two matches to play, West Ham’s task to stay up will be difficult, but Gold is hopeful of a surprise finish to their season.

“We do need a small miracle,” Gold said.

“I’m optimistic that we will do our very best to stay up – it is difficult as you can see, we are four points behind with two games to go. We need to win both of ours and hope that our competitors don’t win their two games.”

“Is it possible yes, I think it’s do-able and we will set out to win our games and hope for the best.”

Gold added that the club were prepared for life in the Championship – the second-tier of English football – but had still not given up hope of staying up.

“We have budgeted for the worst. As I say, we plan for the worst and hope for the best. We are confident that we could put together a good squad in the event that we are relegated,” he said.

“But we are not relegated yet. We have two games to go but I want to assure our fans that they know that in the event that the worst comes to the worst, we will do everything in our power to ensure that we come straight back.”

Gold and fellow owner David Sullivan – both former owners of league rivals Birmingham City – will assess the tenure of manager Avram Grant at the end of the season, denying speculation that a decision had already been made on the Israeli’s future.

“You have to wait and sit down at a time when you know exactly where you are and that’s when you sit down as we have done over 18 years – we have sat down with our managers at the end of the season and that’s what we will do here,” he said.

West Ham travel to the DW Stadium to face Wigan on Sunday before a season-ending clash at home against Sunderland, which could determine the fate of the club.