West Ham United cannot afford to gamble on David Moyes’ future at the London Stadium amid lavish praise from Jarrod Bowen and Anton Ferdinand.

What’s the word?

Bowen and Ferdinand have been full of praise for the work Moyes has carried out since returning to the London Stadium to succeed Manuel Pellegrini, following an expensive but unsuccessful 18-months under the Chilean.

Pellegrini was behind West Ham’s four-most expensive purchases in club history, but was ultimately sacked in December of last year after a run of nine defeats in 12 games, leaving the east London outfit just a point above the Premier League relegation places.

Moyes ultimately returned to West Ham to steer the ship back to safety and has since gone on to register the Hammers’ best start to a top-flight season since 2015/16 – when they ultimately finished seventh – with the club currently eighth and four points behind the top four.

Bowen believes West Ham’s strong start, featuring wins over Wolves, Leicester and Sheffield United, was sprung by Moyes’ work in securing safety last term, having instructed a struggling side to push their limits.

“The Gaffer wants us to run until we can’t run any more,” Bowen told West Ham’s official club website. “He doesn’t want us to have an easy day and that’s what we need. Since the games when we restarted after lockdown, that hunger, that desire has come through in our performances. It helped us get out of the relegation battle that we didn’t want to be in, and we’ve started this season like how we ended last year.

“The manager's been really good since I’ve joined, speaking to me about all sorts of things. What I need to improve on the pitch, or what I could do in the gym, what I could do in my spare time. To have the arm around your shoulder from the manager brings the best out of you. The way he’s been with me and dealt with me has been really key to how I’ve settled in.”

Bowen is not alone in lauding the work Moyes has done in 2020, either, with West Ham product Ferdinand a clear advocate of the Scottish coach’s credentials.

“Can I just say David Moyes and his staff have done a fantastic job since coming back,” Ferdinand noted on Twitter. “He’s bought players that work hard first but can still play! Also getting the best out of players like [Arthur] Masuaku, [Pablo] Fornals and [Angelo] Ogbonna.”

GSB can’t afford to gamble on Moyes’ future

The praise flowing Moyes’ way from the likes of Bowen and Ferdinand will leave the West Ham ownership of David Gold, David Sullivan and Karren Brady with no room to gamble on the Scottish coach’s future with his initial 18-month contract set to expire next summer.

Talks over a new deal were said to be ongoing last month but with no signs or urgency, as neither party were in a rush to put pen to paper. Yet progress must come soon, as Moyes has proven himself to be the one to take West Ham forward after the failings of a former Premier League winner in Pellegrini.

As Ferdinand also says, Moyes has managed to get the best from the likes of Masuaku, Fornals and Ogbonna, who all failed to hit any heights under Pellegrini.

Ogbonna has helped West Ham to keep four clean sheets in the league thus far this season, having opened all nine matches and played all bar the final 27 minutes of the 1-0 win over rivals Fulham following a groin injury.

The Italian was only able to help toward eight clean sheets in his 34 starts over 38 league appearances under Pellegrini, while Fornals has matched his top-flight goal return (one goal, three assists in 18 games) under the Chilean in half as many matches this term (two goals, two assists in nine games).

AND in other news, West Ham can ease David Moyes’ fear by signing an “exemplary” gem who may not cost David Sullivan anything.