Chelsea legend Frank Lampard has called on West Ham United to stick by manager Slaven Bilic.

It would be understandable if the 48-year-old has been feeling the pressure due to the Hammers' results on the pitch this season.

The East London outfit finished in an impressive seventh place in the Premier League last season, but they currently sit 14th in the table, eight points above the relegation zone.

Recently, the club's board issued a statement publicly backing Bilic amid claims by The Telegraph that he will not be offered a new contract at the end of the season, meaning that he will enter the 2017-18 campaign with one year left on his deal.

It has been a difficult few months for the Hammers, with the new London Stadium not being well received by many fans, while they have had to deal with losing their best player Dimitri Payet in January.

West Ham have won just 10 of their 32 league matches this season, but they eased fears of relegation at the weekend by beating Swansea City 1-0 at home.

Lampard, who began his career with the Hammers, told Goals on Sunday that he hopes West Ham do not make a managerial change in the summer.

"I really like Slaven Bilic, he's an absolute gentleman and a talented manager as well. I think he's had a tough year.

"I think West Ham's recruitment wasn't great last year, and the whole move to the stadium has been very difficult for all at the club. I'd like to see them stick with him and recruit better in the summer.

"West Ham moved to the stadium in order to challenge for the European places, and I think they have to be real now, to go out and spend that money."

https://video.footballfancast.com/video-2015/slaven-bilic.mp4