Supporters were singing "sacked in the morning" before the final whistle had gone. That, more than any post-match statistic, tells you where things stand for Nuno Espirito Santo at West Ham United.

Saturday's 3-1 home defeat by West Brom at the London Stadium was the latest chapter in what is becoming a deeply uncomfortable autumn for the Portuguese head coach. The result leaves West Ham in eighth place in the Championship table, behind both of their recent home conquerors, Southampton and now West Brom, having been widely discussed as promotion favourites at the start of the campaign.

A slow-start habit that refuses to shift

The recurring theme is West Ham's inability to begin matches with any conviction. Nuno reportedly held a specific meeting with his players about the problem in the days before Saturday's game; it made no discernible difference. Albion's opener was the fourth goal West Ham have conceded inside the opening 20 minutes across their past three home league games. They have not scored one of their own in that period.

For the record, West Ham did win a corner inside 16 seconds on Saturday, from which Mohamadou Kante hooked a bouncing ball over the bar. But that was as close as they came to seizing the initiative early on.

"It's very concerning we are conceding the first goal on a regular basis," Nuno acknowledged afterwards. "The message is totally the other way around. The idea is to start the game on the front foot. The first moment West Brom get an offensive situation they score."

West Ham have now fallen behind in 10 of their 16 games in all competitions this season. Playing catch-up from a losing position, week after week, is not a formula for a promotion push.

Nuno projects unity while fans lose patience

In his press conference, Nuno adopted the kind of language that press releases are built from: collective frustration, an emphasis on process, a clear objective in mind. "All of us are really frustrated," he said. "There's a lot of explanations. The basics are we didn't play good, we conceded too easy."

Asked directly whether his job was under threat, Nuno was bullish rather than defensive: "I am always under pressure. Every day." It is a credible line, but it will not satisfy supporters who are watching promotion rivals accumulate points while West Ham drop them at home.

West Brom were the third visiting side in all competitions to leave the London Stadium with a win in the past four games. Six goals have been conceded in the past two home matches alone. The manner of Albion's three goals carried no great complexity; Isaac Price, Jimmy-Jay Morgan and Felix Horn Myhre simply combined with a directness that the hosts could not match.

Defensive absences and a glimmer of hope

One concrete factor behind the defensive fragility was the absence of Konstantinos Mavropanos, who picked up a knee problem in the previous defeat by Southampton. Eighteen-year-old Airidas Golambeckis was required to fill in alongside Max Kilman and Morato, and it was a steep afternoon for the teenager.

Nuno was cautiously optimistic that Mavropanos could return for Wednesday's Championship trip to Cardiff. "He's a very important player for us. He's improving, we are positive," he said. Given what has happened at the London Stadium recently, the Greek defender cannot come back soon enough.

For West Brom, meanwhile, Saturday's win continues a run that has hauled them above West Ham in the table and reinforced their credentials as genuine contenders. The performance, particularly in midfield, was assured rather than fortunate; they look a well-organised side under their own management, and the victory will do considerable good for their confidence ahead of their own busy fixture list.

West Ham, by contrast, face a week in which results must improve or the questions around Nuno's position will only grow louder. "Every result we don't achieve, we get further away from our objective," the head coach admitted. "It's very difficult." On the evidence of recent weeks at home, that is putting it gently.

Frequently asked

Why are West Ham fans calling for Nuno to be sacked?
West Ham have lost three of their past four home games in all competitions, conceding six goals in the last two alone, and have fallen behind in 10 of 16 games this season. The 3-1 defeat by West Brom left them eighth in the Championship table, well off the automatic promotion places they were expected to challenge for.
Where are West Ham in the Championship table after the West Brom defeat?
The defeat dropped West Ham to eighth in the Championship, behind both Southampton and West Brom, two sides they have recently lost to at home.
When is Mavropanos expected to return for West Ham?
Nuno said Mavropanos, who missed the West Brom game with a knee injury, is improving and the club is positive he could be available for Wednesday's Championship trip to Cardiff.