**Under-pressure West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola took responsibility after a 3-1 defeat by fellow strugglers Wolves.**A fifth successive loss leaves his side three points above the Premier League drop zone and had home fans fuming.
Striker Carlton Cole was involved in an altercation with supporters, who had barracked their players.
“The team is not playing well. I take responsibility. I am personally hurt because I didn’t expect a performance like that - it is painful,” said Zola.
“It is a big blow. For me personally and the team. These are the moments when you have to react.”
The match had started with a boisterous atmosphere but Hammers fans turned on their side as they went 3-0 down with barely an hour gone.
Some chanted: “You’re not fit to wear the shirt” at the players, while Italian Zola also came under fire as fans jeered: “You’re getting sacked in the morning.”
Thousands of others headed for the exits as the travelling Wolves supporters celebrated a well-deserved win that takes them closer to survival.
WEST HAM’S RUN-IN
- 27 Mar Stoke H
- 4 Apr Everton A
- 10 April Sunderland H
- 19 April Liverpool A
- 24 April Wigan H
- 1 May Fulham A
- 9 May Man City H
Premier League predictor
With seven Premier League matches to go, West Ham are one place and three points ahead of 18th-placed Burnley and Hull in 19th.
Their relegation rivals have arguably an easier run-in and Hull also have a game in hand.
West Ham’s new joint owner David Sullivan has said the club, which had debts of £110m when he took over with David Gold, faces “Armageddon” if they are relegated.
Zola’s team were second best throughout, with Scott Parker’s shot hitting the post in the first half and a late consolation goal from Guillermo Franco among few bright moments in a dismal display.
Kevin Doyle, Ronald Zubar and Matthew Jarvis all got on the scoresheet for Mick McCarthy’s team, helping Wolves to ease their relegation worries and lift them to 15th spot.
West Ham face Stoke at home on Saturday but must travel to Liverpool, Everton and Fulham before the end of the season.
Former Chelsea star Zola said he did not welcome fans jeering his players.
“It hurts me very much,” the Italian told BBC Sport. "I have a close bond with this team and I don’t like it. The only way we can do better is to play better and win games. That’s the only way we can react to this.
606: DEBATE
“Unlucky Hammers! It was always going to be difficult playing against a strong Wolves side”
** Vanilla Slush**
"Wolves played well and I was impressed and surprised by their performance but when you are in this situation, shouting at the team will not help.
“It is very difficult to take any positives out of this. It’s been simply a bad day for us and I need to think a lot about that.”
The 43-year-old, who is managing his first club, said any frustration should be directed at him.
“If [the fans] want to pick on somebody they must pick up on me because I am responsible,” he stated.
"If they want to chant something they must chant about me. They have to leave the players because they belong to West Ham, they are working for West Ham and they are committed to West Ham.
“Last year when we were playing well, I was getting compliments. I took the compliments, I can take the criticism as well but they should leave the players.”
Police and stewards were on hand as an angry group of fans gathered above the tunnel as players left the field.
Striker Benni McCarthy said fellow forward Cole was dragged away by team-mates after an altercation.
“I thought Coley knew the guy at first as they were speaking normally,” said the South African.
"Eventually I saw some other players go back out and drag him inside.
“Maybe what went on today got to him and he reacted the wrong way.”
Meanwhile another McCarthy, Wolves boss Mick, was delighted to see his side come through so impressively and help their bid to stay in the Premier League.
After securing a seventh point over their last three games - all played on their travels - the Wolves manager said: "We have not sewn anything up yet but we have gone a long way towards helping out.
“The scoreline didn’t flatter us. We played very well and deserved that victory. I don’t think anyone could disagree with that. It was a vital win for us.”
It was a desperate result for Zola and his assistant and former Chelsea team-mate Steve Clarke.
The pair took over at West Ham in September 2008 from Alan Curbishley, who quit in protest at the club’s sale of key players under Icelandic owners.
In their first season, Zola and Clarke nearly took the Hammers into Europe before they eventually finished ninth, one place behind Tottenham on goal difference.
West Ham comfortably won the opening match of the 2009/2010 season at Wolves but the campaign has been blighted by injuries and off-the-field turmoil.
Sullivan and Gold, who are long-term Hammers fans, saw off three rival bidders to take ownership of the club in January and gave immediate backing to Zola but there have been clashes since.
On the eve of a crucial match at home to the owners’ former club Birmingham, Sullivan revealed he would ask players to take a pay cut at the end of the season.
Zola called the remarks ill-timed but West Ham won the match 2-0 and followed up with a 3-0 victory over Hull on 24 February, the club’s only two victories in 2010.