West Ham fans turn on Pellegrini as support for Elton John’s favourite Javi Gracia rockets, man
Exclusive Sun Sport poll shows how Chilean's popularity is plummeting at London Stadium after four straight defeats
THE season is just four games old and the knives are already out for Manuel Pellegrini – while Javi Gracia can do no wrong.
New West Ham boss Pellegrini has seen his popularity in East London plummet following four straight league defeats, an exclusive Sun Sport poll can reveal.
The 64-year-old former Premier League winner took over from the much-maligned David Moyes in the summer and was given a good old Cockney welcome, with 94 per cent of supporters confident he would do a good job.
But after splashing out around £100million on players including Felipe Anderson, Issa Diop and Andry Yarmolenko, zero points in return and 19 teams above them, the Chilean’s approval rating has dropped by a massive 38 points to just 56 per cent.
West Ham face Everton, Chelsea and Manchester United in their next three games.
And unless the former Manchester City supremo gets something from those testing ties, Hammers fans could be agreeing with Tony Cottee and wishing they’d spent another season stabilising under Moyes.
In contrast to Pellegrini, Javi Gracia’s stock is soaring after guiding unfancied Watford to four straight wins, including Sunday’s impressive 2-1 comeback victory against Spurs.
Elton John is clearly a big fan and Gracia’s support among the Vicarage Road faithful has also rocketed, man, our poll reveals.
Before a ball was kicked this season just 58 per cent thought the Spaniard – who led Watford to 14th last year after taking over in January - was doing a good job.
But that figure has leapt by a huge 36 points to 94 per cent after their blistering start to this campaign.
Other high risers in the popularity stakes are Cardiff’s Neil Warnock and Chelsea’s new chain-smoking chief Maurizio Sarri.
Despite sitting in 16th, the percentage of Bluebirds fans who are confident Warnock is doing a good job has gone up 23 points to 63 per cent.
As for Sarri, he seems to be quickly winning over Chelsea followers who were left confused, disappointed and hungry for success after Antonio Conte’s slow Stamford Bridge death last season.
The Blues are another team with a perfect start and that has seen the former Napoli manager’s approval rating shoot up by 17 points to 87 per cent.
Sarri’s rapid rise in popularity has not been matched by fellow Premier League new boy Unai Emery.
The Arsenal gaffer was received with open arms in May by supporters desperate to get back on the trophy trail after years of stagnation under Arsene Wenger at the Emirates.
Some 81 per cent of Gunners were confident in the job he was doing in August before the season kicked off.
But after two defeats and two wins in an unquestionably tough set of opening fixtures, that figure has dropped to 63 per cent.
Rafa Benitez has suffered a similar drop among Newcastle fans with his approval rating sliding from 93 to 69 per cent.
The Toon have just one point to show for their efforts this season and despite all the goings on behind the scenes at St James, it appears Rafa is not beyond blame in the eyes of the fans.
Elsewhere, Jurgen Klopp remains the new King of the Kop with a 97 per cent approval rating.
Meanwhile, despite the very public show of support by Manchester United fans for Jose Mourinho, just 40 per cent of supporters are satisfied with the job he’s doing - down two per cent from August.