David Moyes and his West Ham coaches fear they will be sacked if Sunday’s relegation showdown with Premier League bottom side Southampton ends in defeat.
Contacts close to the staff have revealed their concerns, particularly if supporters turn on the manager at the London Stadium this weekend.
There are worries that the vitriol would sway chairman David Sullivan into making a decision, despite his insistence that he trusts Moyes and his team to get out of their sticky situation.
West Ham are 18th in the table, a point from safety, having won just two of their last 15 league games.