West Ham’s Championship reset under pressure after winless league start

West Ham United’s return to the Championship has already delivered an uncomfortable reality check, with Nuno Espírito Santo’s side still searching for their first league win after two matches and facing early questions over how quickly they can adapt to life outside the Premier League.

The Hammers opened their campaign with a 2-2 draw at Burnley before losing 2-1 at home to Charlton Athletic, leaving them 16th in the table with one point from six. Sky Sports pundit David Prutton said on Thursday that West Ham still need to “re-adjust” to the demands of the division after failing to win either of their opening fixtures.

The concern is not simply the absence of a victory. West Ham have already conceded four goals in two league games and have yet to impose themselves consistently against opponents expected to test them physically and tactically in different ways from the Premier League.

Relegated sides often enter the Championship carrying greater individual quality, but the league has repeatedly punished teams that take too long to adapt to its intensity, schedule and directness. West Ham’s opening results suggest that adjustment is still incomplete.

There have been more encouraging signs in cup competition. West Ham beat Portsmouth 3-1 in the first round of the EFL Cup and then won 4-1 away at Southampton on Tuesday, a result that gave younger players an opportunity to impress and provided some momentum away from the league. The club’s own coverage highlighted the Southampton win as a positive response after the Charlton defeat.

The challenge now is to transfer that form into the Championship, where early dropped points can quickly become significant in a promotion race built around consistency.

Saturday’s trip to Watford therefore carries more weight than a routine third league fixture. West Ham do not need to panic after two games, but another failure to win would extend a start that has already fallen short of expectations for a club widely expected to challenge near the top of the division.