Paquetá and Bowen ease pressure on Lopetegui as West Ham thrash Ipswich

Yesterday at 12:08 PM

At some point, football teams, and the managers whose fate is ruthlessly beholden to their results, must win. And so, for both Julen Lopetegui and Kieran McKenna, this sunny Saturday afternoon in east London was deemed of utmost importance.

Tasked with introducing a sense of excitement often lacking at West Ham in recent seasons, Lopetegui's reign had already threatened to turn sour after an unprecedented three home league defeats to start his first campaign at the helm. For McKenna, an abundance of good will from successive promotions means any knives remain entirely blunt. But he will be well aware that plucky points from a multitude of draws will not make their top-flight return a prolonged one.