Under-fire West Ham manager Slaven Bilic confirmed his players held a crisis meeting as the club look to turn their dismal season around.
Bilic is under huge pressure after Friday's 3-0 Premier League loss at home to Brighton and Hove Albion left his side sitting just outside the relegation zone on goal difference.
The likes of Javier Hernandez, Pablo Zabaleta and Marko Arnautovic joined West Ham in the close-season, but Bilic's side have struggled.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday's EFL Cup clash against Tottenham, Bilic confirmed reports of a players meeting were true, a step he felt was positive.
"First I had a meeting with Mark [Noble, captain] and then after that the players had one which I find very positive," the Croatian told a news conference.
"We all know the situation, it is serious and we have to play better and get points, especially at home."
West Ham have collected just eight points from nine league games this season, conceding 17 goals.
Amid reports he has two games – the cup clash with Spurs and crucial league trip to Crystal Palace – to save his job, Bilic said he felt he still had the players' confidence.
"We have had our successful periods and our down periods when we are losing, like when we lost five on the trot in March, but the main reason why we get out that situation a few times was that we continued to work hard and all that," he said.
"It also happened in September and we continued to work hard and we will do again.
"I have no indications to believe that anything has changed in that department, I have to lead the team, lead the group and get us playing better immediately."
