Nuno Espirito Santo has remained defiant on West Ham United’s survival chances this season following their 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
The Hammers were without a win in 10 matches heading into Saturday’s clash, but delivered a brilliant performance to ease pressure on the Portuguese manager.
West Ham dominated the first half against the struggling hosts and took an early lead in the 15th minute through Crysencio Summerville, whose attempt deflected off Micky Van de Ven and went past Vicario into the back of the net.
Jarrod Bowen scored a second before halftime, although the goal was ruled out for offside against the England international.
“It means a lot for our fans, who were there cheering for us. It’s special to do it in the last moments of the game, because we have been on the other side of that many times this season”, Nuno said after the match.
“We stared really well. The way we were organised, not allowing Spurs to go easy, always trying to press and recover.”
Cristian Romero powered home an equalizer for Spurs in the second half and the game looked to be heading for a stalemate until Callum Wilson’s late intervention.
The striker who had only come on earlier and had been linked with an exit from the club this month, scored in stoppage-time to snatch the win for the Hammers and move them to within five points off safety.
“When we had the ball we had good chances and combinations. First half we played really good football”, the Portuguese continued.
“We believe [we can escape relegation]. We have to worry about ourselves, work harder and commit more. I’m really proud of the way the players have been dealing with this situation. It’s a tough one, but they are determined to turn it around.”
West Ham United will host Sunderland in their next match on Saturday, hoping for another victory to continue their fight against relegation.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
