Pellegrini won't blame West Ham results on off-field disputes

Manuel Pellegrini has warned that off-field problems cannot be any excuse if West Ham's results fail to improve quickly.

The Hammers lost their opening two Premier League games of the season, going down 4-0 to Liverpool before a 2-1 home defeat to Bournemouth last week.

The poor run of form under their new manager has coincided with continued problems regarding London Stadium, which is continuing to create headlines and cause friction among fans.

The club's honours board, highlighting past triumphs in the FA Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup, is yet to be restored inside the ground as the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) says West Ham are yet to pay outstanding fees.

Meanwhile, the club and LLDC are in a dispute over the colour of the cover for the athletics track around the pitch, which vice-chairman Karen Brady hopes to resolve with a claret-and-blue design.

The issues, coupled with the poor displays in their first two league games, mean West Ham face Arsenal under something of a cloud, but Pellegrini is adamant that their performances cannot be blamed on anything away from the football pitch.

"What I don't want, as a team, as a manager, is excuses because we have some problem with the colour of the track," he told a news conference. "We need to have the solution inside the pitch.

"Maybe there are issues. If they're talking about that, maybe they can have a solution in the future."

Pellegrini drew attention to the fact a number of fans left early during last week's loss to Bournemouth, and he has clarified his remarks by calling on the supporters to rally behind the players.

"It's not a criticism of the fans, it's how much the team needs them," he explained.

"I perfectly understand if you are losing four or 5-1 then you might leave early to go to your house but at 2-1, we need all of us to be together. Everyone."

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— West Ham United (@WestHamUtd) August 22, 2018