Mark Noble has denied there is a rift in the West Ham dressing room despite reports to the contrary in the media.

“I’d like to put that one to bed right now. There is no rift in our dressing room. Of course, a few wins would help the mood but the reality is that our dressing room morale is still really good.

“In fact, if we’d lost a few games and everyone was still buzzing, I’d be more worried. There are a lot of games to go and a lot of points still to play for. Don’t tell me that players couldn’t care a less when they’re team is going through a bad run, as we are at the moment. Speaking personally, it kills me because I desperately want this club to do well.”

Claret and Hugh say:

We have to take the captain at his word that there is no rift and the West Ham dressing room is not divided. With the current West Ham manager in a death spiral, the Hammers have become easy prey for all kinds of stories and speculation on players, the board and possible future candidates to take over from Manuel Pellegrini. This is the normal process of a feeding media frenzy when they sense blood and the end is near and thus it was ever so. Whether Pellegrini has lost the dressing room or not now seems to be almost irrelevant as it has lost the confidence of the West Ham supporters’ on mass and the board appear to be now on the same page with today D-Day for the 67-year-old Chilean on the South coast this evening.