Lee Carsley responds after being confronted by West Ham fans at services over goal hero Jarrod Bowen

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Julen Lopetegui has discovered pretty early on that West Ham fans know what they’re talking about, now Lee Carsley has too.

His tenure as interim England manager has come to an end but Lee Carsley will never forget West Ham fans.

Hammers supporters are a knowledgeable bunch. They always have been.

While supporters of a lot of elite clubs live in bubbles where the worst that happens is a couple of defeats on the bounce, West Ham fans have seen it all down the years.

From producing some of the greatest players in England’s history to relegations, promotions, lurching from one crisis to another and European glory.

West Ham fans know their football.

They also know what they want and – most of the time – know what’s right too.

Hammers fans have been baffled and bemused by some of Julen Lopetegui’s tactics and team selections since his arrival at the club.

It’s one of the big reasons – besides dreadful performances and results – that they can’t take to the Spaniard.

West Ham supporters were demanding to see Crysencio Summerville start after he impressed in his limited game time.

They know a player when they see one.

Carsley confronted by West Ham fans at services over Bowen

But even when Mohammed Kudus was suspended for the game against Man United, Lopetegui kept him on the bench.

West Ham somehow got to half-time of that game at 0-0.

Summerville came on in the second half and completely changed the game, scoring and winning man of the match in just 45 minutes.

It taught Lopetegui a valuable lesson about West Ham fans he’ll never forget.

Now Carsley has had a similar experience.

Everyone connected with West Ham was furious when Carsley snubbed Jarrod Bowen for his last two England squads.

Only five English players in the Premier League have better all round statistics than Bowen this season.

And a new revelation emerged about the West Ham captain that left Carsley red-faced ahead of the game against Ireland on Sunday.

Now Carsley has responded after being confronted by West Ham fans at a services over goal hero Bowen.

After being snubbed for the second squad in a row, West Ham fans were incredulous.

But Carlsey was forced to pick up the phone and ask Bowen to join up with England after NINE players withdrew from the November internationals.

Among them were Bowen’s direct rivals Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish.

Somehow the Hammers skipper still didn’t get a start against Greece or Ireland, with Noni Madueke preferred instead despite his indifferent form for Chelsea.

Carsley on West Ham fans being proved right about Bowen

Bowen came on and worked hard for the team before playing a lovely nutmeg pass which made England’s killer third goal in Greece.

West Ham’s talisman then got another sub cameo against Ireland and finally got the goal he deserved.

Bowen scored with his first touch in the 5-0 rout.

Harry Kane singled West Ham star Bowen out after the game and suggested he should have played more.

Ian Wright agreed, saying Bowen has the same pace and ability as Madueke and Anthony Gordon but more quality when cutting inside and in goalscoring situations.

Carsley revealed ahead of the game that he has been confronted by West Ham fans at service stations who have given him a piece of their mind about Bowen being snubbed.

“I’m on the road a lot, so service stations is where I seem to get the most advice,” he said.

“Some of it is good, some of it is not so good. I seem to met a lot of West Ham fans, very Jarrod-heavy.”

So after West Ham’s main man got his goal, ITV’s Gabriel Clarke told Carsley: “West Ham fans will be glad, Jarrod Bowen played, you picked him and he scored, first touch. You’ve been getting some stick from them yea?”.

To which Carsley responded with a smile: “Definitely, yea, it was great.

“I said to him when he went on just shoot everytime you get the ball.

“He’s got such quality. I think sometimes he can be a bit unselfish – he’s got to make sure he gets his goals, gets his assists and gets what he deserves.”

Once again West Ham fans are proved right.