'How the f*ck did he get anywhere near Real Madrid?' - Julen Lopetegui branded an 'absolute fraud' as West Ham fans call for manager's immediate sacking after 'inexcusable' Leicester defeat

West Ham suffered a seventh Premier League defeat of the season on Tuesday after going down 3-1 to struggling Leicester City at the King Power Stadium. The result leaves the Hammers just six points off the relegation zone and with Lopetegui's position coming under increasing pressure. Fans were particularly unhappy with the boss after the defeat and called for him to be sacked on social media.

Lopetegui came in for scathing criticism from @rossEFC95 who posted on X: "Lopetegui must genuinely have one of the best agents in the history of football, how the f*ck did he get anywhere near managing Real Madrid and Spain? He’s an absolute fraud."

West Ham fan @COYIronscom feels it's the end for the Spaniard in East London: "One of those nights that you could excuse as a freak game if we had started the season in better form. But that result is inexcusable for Lopetegui right now and should be the final nail in the coffin. Club statement needed tonight."

And Guardian reporter @JacobSteinberg added: "West Ham cannot let this continue. Lopetegui has to go."

Hammers podcaster @markcarlaw agreed and posted: "Lopetegui will sadly go down as one of the worst we have had in charge in recent history. A shocking appointment that was wrong from the start. He HAS to go."

And @Whu_Centre added: "If Lopetegui isn’t sacked by the end of the night, we might as well write this season off now. He has been a fucking disaster from the moment he was appointed. It hasn’t worked. It’s never looked like it’s going to work. Get him out before the damage increases."

West Ham appointed Lopetegui as David Moyes' successor last summer and much was expected from the Spaniard, who had previously enjoyed spells with Real Madrid, Porto, Spain and Wolves before heading to the London Stadium. However, he has struggled to impress during his time in the capital, despite a big-spending summer that brought the arrivals of a host of players including Max Kilman, Luis Guilherme, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Crysencio Summerville, Niclas Fullkrug and Jean-Clair Todibo, and his future is now in serious doubt after another demoralising defeat.

West Ham mustered 31 shots against Leicester, their most on record in a Premier League match, but only managed one goal, which came in the 93rd minute via Fullkrug.

Speculation is already rife that West Ham could sack Lopetegui, with former Porto boss Sergio Conceicao currently being linked with the role. The Hammers are back in action on Monday in the Premier League against Wolves.