West Ham boss Bilic admits he faces key test

(Reuters) - West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic has said the upcoming Premier League fixtures will be his "test" and has admitted the club face a nail-biting struggle to climb away from the relegation zone. Bilic's comments come two days after co-owner David Sullivan offered his public backing and called for a show of unity at the club. West Ham, who are one place and one point above from the bottom three, face high-flying Liverpool on Sunday, followed by games against fellow strugglers Burnley, Hull City, Swansea City and Leicester City. "We are in a position we are not happy with and where we have to bite our nails," Bilic told BBC Sport. "I feel the support of the fans, the team and the board. My next few games are my test. "We are not directly talking about relegation but straight after your game you have to look at the results here and the results there. It's not ideal." West Ham, who finished seventh last season, have gone five league games without a win. Bilic was reported in the British media to be meeting with club owners on Monday following the 5-1 home drubbing by Arsenal at the weekend, a result which led the 48-year-old to question the "intensity and dedication" of his team. (Reporting by Debanjan Bose in Bengaluru, reporting by Neil Robinson)