There are a few players who spring to mind when pondering who might be West Ham’s hero in their battle for survival – but nobody expected Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard to be one of them.
West Ham looked doomed to the drop when they lost 1-0 to Arsenal at the London Stadium on Sunday.
The result pushed the Gunners closer to the Premier League title but also rather ironically did their bitter rivals Spurs a huge favour in the fight with the Hammers against relegation.
There was a big twist 24 hours later, though, when Tottenham were fortunate to escape with a 1-1 draw at home against Leeds, breathing new life into West Ham’s hopes of staying up.
Odegaard does his best to keep West Ham up and send Spurs down
The Hammers now know a win at Newcastle this weekend will see them climb back above Spurs and out of the bottom three.
Arsenal may have one hand on the Premier League title by then – but they may have also played a major role in helping out West Ham too.
How do you feel about the decision now the VAR audio has been released? 😬
What was the correct decision? Goal, no goal or penalty? 🤔
Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Axel Disasi and Mateus Fernandes are the names most West Ham fans would pick out as potential survival heroes heading into the last two games.
But it is midfield star Fernandes who has been head and shoulders West Ham’s best player this season.
The Portuguese is set to be named Hammer of the Year in his debut season and has Man United, Real Madrid and PSG queueing up for him this summer.
If West Ham are to stay up then Fernandes will be the key.
Therefore the Irons may be saved from relegation by Arsenal star Martin Odegaard.
Classy Odegaard told Bowen to intervene over Fernandes
Footage has emerged from the defeat to the Gunners which shows West Ham’s players surrounding the referee at the end of the game after the huge VAR controversy which saw Callum Wilson’s last gasp equaliser ruled out.
Infuriated Fernandes is seen angrily gesturing at the official and repeatedly chastising him.
Oh wow 👀 How has Tottenham’s draw with Leeds made YOU feel about the relegation battle?!
This weirdly feels like a boost?
That’s when Odegaard showed his class by grabbing West Ham skipper Jarrod Bowen and advising him to pull Fernandes away so as not to risk a potential dismissal.
The red mist had descended for the 21-year-old midfielder and Fernandes could have found himself banned for the vital trip to Newcastle.
Thanks to Odegaard, Bowen was able to talk sense into Fernandes and calm him down.
In doing so it ensured Fernandes is available for the Hammers at St James’ Park.
If he does play a starring role in West Ham getting a result then Odegaard can take great delight in the fact it may end up helping send Spurs down.
Since the game West Ham have responded to a Man United approach for Fernandes.
The Hammers have conceded to the Red Devils that they are open to selling Fernandes given their precarious financial situation.
But only at their £84m asking price.
Meanwhile West Ham have made the consequences of relegation clear and it does not make for pretty reading.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
