West Ham’s Julen Lopetegui focused on defeating Wolves amidst future speculation

West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui insists he has not been distracted by speculation he is facing a must-win match on Monday Night Football, instead saying his focus is simply on beating Wolves, rather than worrying about his job.

West Ham board members met this week to discuss the future of their head coach after the midweek 3-1 loss at relegation-threatened Leicester which followed on from the 5-2 defeat at home to Arsenal.

Lopetegui has remained in charge for now – but Monday’s match at the London Stadium is being billed as a cup final for him.

However, the Spaniard is adamant he has not been distracted by off-field matters.

“The past 24 hours? We’ve tried to take advantage, do our work and develop our first aim and responsibility: to compete in the next challenge we have,” he said in Friday’s press conference.

Asked whether he has been given one game to save his job, he said: “I was not thinking of this. I was thinking we have one very important challenge on Monday against a good team who deserve much more points than they have now.

“We have to be focused to have [a] good answer [for Wolves] and develop our work until Monday and be ready to give our fans [a] good day. That’s our focus.

“I understand all the things around football and how my main responsibility is to be ready to face a tough, hard match – but in the same way a big opportunity for us at home. To be ready to achieve three points, against a good team.

“For sure we aren’t happy and the fans are right. Until now they give us much more than we give them and we have to change this.”