West Ham manager Slaven Bilic has two games to save his job as Hammers step up their hunt for a replacement following defeat by Brighton

West Ham have stepped up their search for Slaven Bilic's successor after the alarming way in which their players waved the white flag on Friday night.

Bilic is set to speak with co-owner David Sullivan on Monday, having had all weekend to think about how he is on the brink of getting the boot.

Whether Sullivan will tell Bilic the truth – that the defeat by Brighton has led the board to actively look for a replacement — remains to be seen.

Slaven Bilic cut a dejected figure as his side fell to a 3-0 defeat by Brighton on Friday night

Slaven Bilic cut a dejected figure as his side fell to a 3-0 defeat by Brighton on Friday night

David Sullivan will meet with Bilic on Monday having begun to look for a new manager

David Sullivan will meet with Bilic on Monday having begun to look for a new manager

While Chris Hughton's Brighton were brilliant, Bilic's West Ham simply surrendered. The Croatian prides himself on his ability to motivate players but Friday told a different story.


The Hammers were comprehensively beaten by a club that had not secured a top-flight away win since 1983. It was their heaviest home league loss to a newly-promoted side since 1931 and they are now only outside of the Premier League's drop zone on goal difference.

To his credit, Bilic did not pin the blame on his players. The former Croatia coach accepted full responsibility for being beaten 3-0 before conceding his board have a decision to make. Yet the lack of candidates to take over from Bilic in the short or long-term is concerning.

David Wagner wants to see out the season with Huddersfield, Rafa Benitez is tied to Newcastle, Roberto Mancini joined Zenit Saint-Petersburg in June and Manuel Pellegrini is on a lucrative contract in China.

Glenn Murray celebrates his second and Brighton's third goal during their 3-0 victory

Glenn Murray celebrates his second and Brighton's third goal during their 3-0 victory

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Three-time Champions League winner Carlo Ancelotti is out of work but has said he wants to take time off from football. He would take some convincing.

Bilic is likely to be given the next two games, at least, with trips to Tottenham in the Carabao Cup and Crystal Palace in the Premier League coming up.

From a reporter's point of view, he would be missed. The 49-year-old can be charismatic and good company, and his climbing on to a table to celebrate then-West Ham superstar Dimitri Payet scoring for France at Euro 2016 was iconic.

Caught on camera inside the ITV studio, it showed how close he is to his players. On Friday, however, it looked like they were not willing to fight for him.

Despite all this, Brighton were dynamic and deserved their first away win of the Premier League season. Two goals from Glenn Murray and a super strike from Jose Izquierdo did the trick.

Hughton said: 'I won't allow anyone to (get carried away). It's a good performance and a really good win away from home.'