West Ham captain Mark Noble has delivered a passionate defence of under-pressure manager Slaven Bilic.

Bilic enjoyed an impressive first campaign in charge of the Hammers after replacing Sam Allardyce in the summer of 2015, leading the club to a seventh-placed finish in the Premier League.

But West Ham have struggled under the Croatian this season and are currently sitting just a point above the relegation zone, having won only three out of their 15 games.

The 48-year-old admitted earlier this month he was ‘feeling the pressure’ with the odds on him leaving his post shortening considerably.

Noble, however, is convinced he is the right man to lead West Ham and has told talkSPORT he retains the full support of the dressing room.

“He is so passionate and he really, really wants to do well for the club and the fans,” said the long-serving star, speaking to Jim White and his co-hosts Harry Redknapp and Matt Scott on Monday.

“Obviously he played here, so he knows what it’s like. Sometimes when you get the results we have had he takes it personally, as I do. I go home and can’t just switch off and relax because I care so much for the football club and I think Slav is like that as well. He wears his heart on his sleeve and he knows what the club is about.

“I wholly believe that he is the man to lead this football club. I am 100 per cent behind him as his captain and I am pretty sure all the boys are. I am the buffer behind him and the changing room and it’s great.

“I have had managers in the past where you have the players hammering the manager and its not good, but that doesn’t happen here because he is such a good character, he is so good with the lads.

“He picks the team and we have to go out and play. Slaven can’t do everything.”