It takes a lot to satisfy Nuno Espirito Santo, but a welcome and well-deserved West Ham United win away at bitter Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur should come pretty close.
Now, this is about as ‘Spursy’ as it gets.
West Ham United had not won in ten Premier League matches going into this weekend. That was, of course, until they arrived at the home of Thomas Frank’s Tottenham. When even West Ham are snatching late winners against you – Callum Wilson pounced on a Guglielmo Vicario flap with 93 minutes on the clock – well, there really is no further depths to which you can sink.
Callum Wilson at the death!
But who was your West Ham Man of the Match and why?
To think, Nuno Espirito Santo’s Hammers had built up quite a reputation themselves for dropping points from winning positions.
As Cristian Romero bulleted an equaliser past Alphonse Areola, thus cancelling out Crysencio Summerville’s first-half strike, a repeat of recent disappointments against the likes of Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton and Nottingham Forest seemed inevitable.
Only Bournemouth had conceded more points from leading positions than West Ham, with 15.
But the visitors would turn the tables on their hosts in all senses on a Saturday afternoon which might yet prove to be the springboard in West Ham’s survival bid.
Nuno Espirito Santo reflects on Crysencio Summerville’s best-ever West Ham United display
Speaking of Summerville, Nuno has spent much of recent times demanding more from his hitherto shot-shy £30 million winger.
What a difference one goal can make. From none in 25 matches, to two in two. Summerville followed up his QPR opener with another here, cutting inside and firing a deflected strike into the Tottenham net. That was the highlight of a half in which Summerville terrorised Thomas Frank’s side. His most complete, and decisive, performance yet.
In typical Nuno fashion, though, he will not let Summerville even think about resting on his laurels.
Pretend you call the shots – what are you doing over Callum Wilson’s future?
Match winner 😍
“I expect much more from him,” Nuno told BBC Sport after only a fourth win in 18 matches. “I expect much more from [all] our players.
“We are pushing them, they have talent and they have to show it. All of them need improvement, but as long as they believe, we can do it.
“[This win] 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.
“We started really well. The way we were organised, not allowing Spurs to go easy, always trying to press and recover. When we had the ball we had good chances and combinations. First-half, we played really good football.
“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.”
Callum Wilson has seen a change in Summerville recently
Matchwinner Callum Wilson singled out Summerville at full-time, too. West Ham might not have a Carlos Tevez these days – the spark which ignited their ‘Great Escape’ of 2007 – but Summerville seems ready and willing to take the burden on his own shoulders.
“Cry is a fantastic talent,” Wilson said amid those breathless post-match celebrations. “On the whole, he is becoming more consistent.
“Long may that continue for him.”
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