West Ham United’s troubles hit a new low on Saturday as they slumped to a dismal 2-0 defeat against Brentford in front of a half-empty London Stadium, deepening the disconnect between the club and its disillusioned supporters.

In what was Nuno Espirito Santo’s first home game since replacing Graham Potter, the Hammers looked lethargic, lost, and completely outclassed by a Brentford side managed by rookie boss Keith Andrews. Goals from Igor Thiago and Mathias Jensen gave the visitors a deserved win, but the scoreline could easily have been far worse for the hosts.

As boos echoed around the stadium at full-time, the vacant seats told their own story. Many fans chose not to attend at all, with others leaving well before the final whistle. A growing number are supporting a boycott organised by the fan group Hammers United, who are calling for the resignation of chairman David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady.

“Not good enough. Poor,” said Nuno after the game. “Brentford fairly won. They were better. You can see our own fans are concerned that anxiety passes to the players. We have a problem.”

The atmosphere inside the 62,500-seaters stadium was flat throughout a far cry from the tight, intimidating environment once offered by Upton Park. The move from their former home remains a major grievance for fans, many of whom feel the club’s identity has been lost in the transition to the London Stadium, which was originally built for the 2012 Olympics.

Saturday's loss marked the first time in West Ham's history they have lost their opening four home league matches in a season. The club has now lost five consecutive Premier League home games, a streak last seen in 1931.

“That performance needs a seismic shift,” said former West Ham midfielder Gary O’Neil. “They look lost, shot of confidence, and not together. Nuno has a massive job ahead.”

The defeat leaves West Ham 19th in the Premier League table, with just four points from eight matches. Nuno, who began the season in charge of Nottingham Forest before being dismissed, is still searching for his first win as Hammers boss.

The pressure is now mounting ahead of Friday night’s trip to Leeds. Nuno, who openly acknowledged the mounting tension between fans and players, says improvement must come quickly.

“It’s up to us to change the momentum and bring our fans back,” he said. “In four days, we need a big improvement.”

Meanwhile, fan protests are set to intensify. A larger demonstration is being planned for the upcoming home match against Burnley on November 8, with organizers expecting as many as 9,000 participants. Their grievances range from unkept promises and poor recruitment to outdated training facilities and a subpar matchday experience.

With unrest in the stands and failure on the pitch, West Ham now find themselves facing a full-blown crisis. And unless something changes quickly, Nuno Espirito Santo may soon be fighting to keep more than just the fans inside.