For the second Premier League match in a row, the West Ham United supporters could reflect on a big win and actually enjoy the debate surrounding the deserved winner of their Man of the Match award.
A novel feeling, indeed.
The transformational Freddie Potts was probably the stand-out against Newcastle six days ago. During Saturday’s 3-2 victory over Burnley – West Ham United’s second successive London Stadium victory since October 2024 – Potts was less spectacular, and more solid.
From the sky-high heights of his Newcastle performance to a decent, if less influential, display a week later.
If Potts is destined to become the posterboy for Nuno Espirito Santo’s Hammers revival, though, it is arguably Mateus Fernandes who is blossoming into the V8 engine in an outfit no longer leaking quite so much oil in the centre of the park.
West Ham United fans rave about Mateus Fernandes after Burnley win
Mateus Fernandes was the driving force against Burnley. A one-man dynamo, dictator, disruptor and destroyer. He did absolutely everything, and was absolutely everywhere.
Fernandes produced Bruno Fernandes-esque numbers last time out, and again topped the charts for ‘key passes’ with three. Furthermore, no one in claret and blue made more touches or won more tackles as the Hammers drew level with Burnley on ten points.
Former Southampton captain Jo Tessem told BBC Sport last season that Mateus Fernandes was becoming ‘an ultimate Premier League midfielder’ at St Mary’s.
If such glowing praise felt over the top at the time – Southampton recorded only two more points across the whole of 2024/25 than West Ham have after eleven matchdays – the sight of Fernandes producing the most complete, all-action midfield performances anywhere in the Premier League would presumably have had Tessem feeling vindicated.
“A word for Fernandes. Sensational in the middle of the park,” one West Ham fan wrote on X. “So refreshing to see a player snapping into tackles as well as having an eye for a pass. Something we’ve been crying out for.”
“Fernandes starting to show why we paid a silly amount of money for him,” another says of the £40 million summer signing.
“Can we please have some Matty Fernandes praise on the timeline? Some of you wrote him off but, oh my, what a player.”
Fernandes has silenced his doubters and earned his place under Nuno Espirito Santo
He has certainly come a long way since Nuno hauled Mateus Fernandes off at half-time during the dismal 2-0 defeat by Brentford three weeks ago.
As recently as a fortnight back, the Portugal Under-21 captain had been dropped from the starting line-up, even if Fernandes opened his Hammers account off the bench in that loss at Leeds.
It may have been Potts’ first West Ham start which caught the eye when Nuno selected his team for the visit of Newcastle. The return to the XI of Mateus Fernandes, though, is proving to be equally as transformative to the club’s fortunes.
To think, not so long ago, it was felt that an absence of dynamism, power, and aggression both in and out of possession would cost the Hammers dear. Potentially, their Premier League place too. Suddenly, with Potts and Fernandes, an old weak link now looks like a position of real strength.
“Another big win. Matty Fernandes, outstanding.”
“Mateus Fernandes was sensational today. What a player he is.”
“[Tomas] Soucek will grab the headlines – as he should – but Fernandes with back-to-back, team-on-his-back performances in midfield. Arguably the real story of this latest West Ham revival.”
“Matty Fernandes. Unbelievable performance, absolutely everywhere. Him and Potts are slowly becoming a brilliant pairing
“Matty Fernandes, you have rocked my world.”
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