Spirits are high at West Ham United ahead of Saturday’s trip of AFC Bournemouth, and not purely because Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are heading to the South Coast after successive Premier League wins.
West Ham can climb to the heights of 14th with a win at the Vitality Stadium, provided Leeds, Newcastle, Fulham and Burnley also slip up.
Considering the struggling quartet are due to face Aston Villa, Manchester City, surprise packages Sunderland and a wounded Liverpool, it is not entirely beyond the realms of possibility that West Ham United could overtake four teams in the space of one matchday.
To further improve the mood in the camp, a handful of Hammers have joined Jarrod Bowen in securing their spot at the 2026 World Cup. While Bowen was handed a start by Thomas Tuchel in England’s 2-0 victory over Albania, Andy Irving may still be nursing a sore head in the aftermath of Scotland’s staggering victory over Denmark on Tuesday night.
Irving might be needed this weekend, too. Freddie Potts is facing a race against time to be passed fit, the after-effects of the knock he picked up against Burnley still lingering.
Mateus Fernandes will have also returned to East London with a grin as broad as the River Thames.
Nuno Espirito Santo applauds West Ham United stars for their World Cup qualification
Under-21 captain Fernandes is ‘close’ to a first Portugal call-up, manager Roberto Martinez said even before that £40 million move away from Southampton.
If West Ham’s Iberian dynamo can force his way into the senior squad and maintain his recent form in claret and blue over the festive period, his reward could very well be a ticket on the plane to the USA.
Mads Hermansen and Aaron Wan-Bissaka will have very different feelings about a spring-time play-off, however. Hermansen had a front-row seat as Scotland produced a trio of Puskas Award contenders at Hampden Park.
Wan-Bissaka, in contrast, will be oh-so glad he accepted DR Congo’s invitation now.
Beat Jamaica or minnows New Caledonia in the Inter-Confederation Play-Off Tournament, and DR Congo will be joining Curacao, Haiti and co in a growing list of World Cup newcomers.
“The break was needed. Our international players have returned, some happy, some not so happy. Some over the moon because they qualified,” Nuno says with a smile.
“It was needed.”
Nuno expects a tough test away to Andoni Iraola’s AFC Bournemouth
Callum Marshall and Tomas Soucek will also feature in the play-offs.
Marshall’s Northern Ireland face arguably the toughest test of any UEFA nation, however, with Italy looming. The Republic of Ireland will take on the Czech Republic. Soucek may have lost the captain’s armband by the time March rolls around, though.
“The hard work continues, and the good results we achieved are in the past now,” Nuno said ahead of that Bournemouth trip, determined not to waste all that good feeling brought about by successive home wins.
“We’re still working to improve, and to be able to sustain our performance for longer periods. That is what we’ll be hoping to do on Saturday.”
Hammers told they must build on Burnley and Newcastle wins
Win again, and West Ham would have triumphed in three successive Premier League matches matches for the first time in 23 months.
“Bournemouth is a very good team and Andoni [Iraola], I admire. More than anything, what we are going to face at Bournemouth on Saturday is a tough, tough opponent,” Nuno adds.
“What I know watching those [Newcastle and Burnley wins] back, doesn’t really matter. What you did before – good or bad – it’s finished. It’s going to be a new game on Saturday.
“Of course, we can look and take aspects, but it’s a new game. Believe me, it’s always something new that’s going to happen. We achieved something really good for us, but it’s over. We are always trying to compete the same, home or away.
“We are still chasing that aspect of the game, to sustain our levels of performances. It is a challenge for us to do that.
“I admire [Iraola]. I think he’s doing an amazing job at Bournemouth. He’s a nice guy but we are going to be opponents. Two teams fighting for the same goal.”
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