Avram Grant steps into the last chance saloon on Sunday as West Ham travel to Wigan facing the drop.
Hammers on the brink as they tackle fellow strugglers
Avram Grant steps into the last chance saloon on Sunday as West Ham travel to Wigan facing the drop out of the Premier League.
The Hammers have endured a season of struggle under the dour Israeli and are four points adrift of safety with just two games of the season remaining.
Defeat at the hands of their fellow strugglers at the DW Stadium would condemn the East London outfit to a spell in the Championship, while even a draw would not be enough should Wolves claim a point at Sunderland on Saturday.
The Latics are equally desperate for the points as they sit in 19th place, but are just a point away from a position of safety heading into the final two fixtures.
Grant, who suffered relegation with financially-stricken Portsmouth last season, has seen his side take just two points from their last seven matches, with an untimely injury to key midfielder Scott Parker proving costly.
Wigan are unbeaten in their last two matches after draws with Everton and Aston Villa, but a porous defence continues to be their undoing and Roberto Martinez's men have kept just one clean sheet in their last 19 Premier League matches.
Team news
Martinez will be eager to have Charles N'Zogbia available after he shook off a knock sustained against the Toffees to feature and find the net against Villa.
Mohamed Diame is rated at only 50/50 to feature for the Latics as he did not feature against Villa with the injury he sustained against Everton.
Grant will be desperate to bring Parker back into the fold after the Football Writers' Association Player of Year suffered an Achilles injury in the 3-0 defeat at Bolton which has kept him out of the last four games.
Mark Noble and Junior Stanislas (both hernia) are expected to miss out, while Gary O'Neil (ankle) is unlikely to feature.
Rob Green will act as the last line of defence for the Hammers with widespread speculation that the goalkeeper is set to call time on his international career with England after being replaced as No.1 by Joe Hart.
Possible starting XIs
Wigan: Al Habsi, Alcaraz, Boyce, G Caldwell, Figueroa, Cleverley, McCarthy, Watson, N'Zogbia, Moses, Rodallega.
West Ham: Green, Jacobsen, Bridge, Spector, Da Costa, Gabbidon, Parker, Hitzlsperger, Cole, Ba, Sears.
