A year is a long time in football, and just 12 months after taking Nottingham Forest to third in the table via a 1-0 victory over Tottenham, Nuno Espirito Santo is facing a much bleaker picture.
The Portuguese coach is now in danger of a first Premier League relegation, with West Ham five points adrift of safety after a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Fulham following Raul Jimenez's late strike.
The Hammers squandered some good chances before Harry Wilson pounced on Ollie Scarles' error to tee up the Mexican for his second goal in two games.
Nuno's side, who have lost all six of their matches against fellow London teams this season, couldn't muster a response - and they now face crunch fixtures against Brighton, Wolves and Nottingham Forest over the next 10 days.
Daily Mail Sport's WILL PICKWORTH was at the London Stadium and he has picked out some key talking points from the match.
West Ham’s defensive woes go on
As Scarles missed his routine clearance, Nuno's heart must have sunk as Wilson crossed for Jimenez to head home from yards out.
It is now 15 games without a clean sheet for West Ham, with their only shut-out of the campaign coming in a 3-0 victory against Nottingham Forest when Nuno was in charge of their relegation rivals.
Individual errors like the one from Scarles, who was left in tears at full-time, have continued to let the Hammers down.
They have shipped 23 goals in 13 matches since Graham Potter was replaced, and Wolves are the only Premier League team with a worse defensive record this season.
What will be even more infuriating for Nuno is that his side had defended much better for most of the game after conceding three goals against Aston Villa and Man City.
The under-fire Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo had dealt with Jimenez until his late strike, but without clean sheets, the Hammers have no chance of staying up.
Robinson return boosts Fulham
It is perhaps no coincidence that Fulham have picked up three successive wins - and two clean sheets - since Antonee Robinson returned from over two months out through injury.
On form the USA left back is one of the best in his position in the Premier League - and he was a huge presence for Fulham here.
Robinson was tireless up and down the left and had a big role in his side’s build-up play.
He was unfortunate not to grab an assist with Sasa Lukic heading wide from one teasing ball, and he caused Alphonse Areola trouble with another dangerous cross. He also largely kept both Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen quiet.
Ryan Sessegnon proved to be an able deputy before his own injury, but Robinson’s return is very much welcome for Marco Silva, while Jorge Cuenca also stepped up again in the absence of Calvin Bassey.
‘We cannot forget how well Sessegnon did in the first three months of the season because he was very important,’ Silva said.
‘But of course, with the injury, for Robinson to be able to play so many games in a row with all that energy on the left-hand side is impressive.
‘I am pleased for him to be able to help the team, because last season he was so important for us, and two seasons ago it was the same.’
Where West Ham must strengthen in January
If West Ham are to get out of relegation trouble, reinforcements in the January transfer window will be key. Although many Hammers fans are desperate for a new centre back, they must sign a striker too.
With Callum Wilson benched for the fourth successive game and Niclas Fullkrug on his way out, the hosts lacked a focal point until the former was introduced in the second half.
Time and time again they got into good positions, but they were let down by final quality or the absence of a proper centre forward.
Jarrod Bowen did well running in behind, yet he does his best work coming off the right, and it is clear that Nuno doesn’t quite trust Wilson.
The 33-year-old made an immediate difference to West Ham’s attacks, occupying Fulham’s defenders, thereby giving Bowen more space and they looked much more threatening.
Yet Wilson is not quite the player he once was, and he was guilty of squandering two good chances. Bowen also fired wide from close range.
‘It’s disappointing,’ Nuno said post-match. ‘I felt the momentum was ours. We created situations, and I felt the goal was coming but in the end we got punished. After that there was not much time.’
Hammers fans make feelings known
It was after 15 minutes when chants of 'sack the board' rang around the London Stadium as Hammers supporters held up red cards that read 'no more BS' in their latest portrayal of discontent towards vice-chair Karren Brady and chairman David Sullivan.
The protests, which have included marches, boycotts, banners and chants, show no signs of abating as supporters continue to demand the pair's departure amid accusations of mismanagement, poor recruitment and a disconnect from the fanbase.
It was heartening to see Fulham fans demonstrate support by clapping those near the away end, and while it is hard to ever see Sullivan and Brady regaining the backing of many, investment in January may buy them some goodwill.