David Moyes hopes West Ham can recover after home defeat to Brentford

Goals from Ivan Toney and Josh Dasilva inflicted another damaging loss on Moyes, whose side have now lost five consecutive Premier League matches.

Moyes last week insisted the Hammers were not in a relegation scrap but they face the very real prospect of being in the bottom three on New Year's Day.

Incredibly, the Scot said: "We played really well tonight," before the subject of a relegation battle was raised.

"I'm hoping it's not the case," he added. "But we've lost a few at home recently so we have to be aware that we have to pick up points.

"I don't think it's unfair. In the business we're in if you don't win in five games you're going to be under pressure.

"I only want the best for West Ham, it's been a great club for me and we've done well. I'm determined to keep it there and not get dragged down. I hope we can get away from where we are."

It could have been a very different evening had Declan Rice opened the scoring in the fifth minute but his 20-yard curler hit the post.

Instead, Brentford went ahead when Christian Norgaard's volley was saved by Lukasz Fabianski and Toney snaffled the rebound for his 13th goal of the season.

They doubled their lead when Toney flicked on a throw-in for Dasilva to chase.

The midfielder raced past Aaron Cresswell, who had a three-yard head start, before burying his shot past Fabianski.

Yet Moyes, who spent £160million on a host of misfiring new signings like Lukas Paqueta and Gianluca Scamacca last summer, said: "I only have praise for the players tonight. nothing else.

"Their effort, commitment, how they went about their job, how they kept going at 2-0 down. For me, it is only praise.

"Of course, we know where we are failing, in the final third and we have just started to lose a bit defensively."

Brentford's win was soured by a late injury to Toney, who jarred his knee after landing awkwardly and had to be taken off on a stretcher.

"It's not likely that Ivan would be subbed off for just a knock so that's a bit worrying," said boss Thomas Frank, whose side host Liverpool on Monday.

"It could be nothing, it could be worse, we don't know. It's never a good sign, but we don't know."

Brentford, now up to ninth, have something of a hex over West Ham having beaten them twice last season.

"It's a fantastic away win," added Frank. "Sometimes it just clicks against some opponents, but for Brentford to win against West Ham three times is incredible."