Whereas Nottingham Forest may need been smelling the possibility to say a right away response on Sunday afternoon, Nuno Espirito Santo’s facet suffered a sensational late collapse as they ultimately fell to a 3-0 drumming at dwelling in opposition to West Ham.
With golden alternatives coming at an actual premium on both facet of the interval, it was skipper Jarrod Bowen who opened the scoring with simply six minutes left on the clock.
In what rapidly turned a outstanding last-gasp flurry, Lucas Paqueta transformed from the penalty spot simply 4 minutes after Bowen’s opener after which produced an emotional celebration following in depth hyperlinks to Aston Villa over the previous 24 hours.
Graham Potter’s males ultimately clinched a maiden Premier League victory of the season as summer season recruit Callum Wilson headed dwelling and despatched Sunday’s travelling assist into overdrive.
Claiming a shock scalp outdoors of the English capital, West Ham will definitely really feel that the primary worldwide break of the season has come on the worst potential time.
As for Forest, regardless of opening the 2025/26 marketing campaign with an emphatic 3-1 victory in opposition to Brentford earlier within the month, the European returners have largely flattered to deceive on both facet of the summer season break.
On a day once they Hammers sprung a stellar upset on the Metropolis Floor, now we have taken a take a look at the principle speaking factors from Sunday’s showdown.
The Hammers lastly click on into gear
Getting proceedings underway with a 3-0 drumming by the hands of Premier League returners Sunderland on August sixteenth, West Ham have rightfully come beneath an incredible quantity of scrutiny over the previous few weeks.
Utterly blown away on the London Stadium final weekend as they fell to an notorious 5-1 defeat in opposition to historic native rivals Chelsea, it’s no secret that Potter has had an enormous quantity of stress on his shoulders.
Crashing out of the EFL Cup earlier within the week following a rollercoaster 3-2 loss away at fellow strugglers Wolves, Sunday’s company had misplaced every of their first three matchups throughout all competitions by an mixture rating of 11-3.
Nevertheless, regardless of being pencilled in as a landslide underdog once they turned their consideration again to Premier League duties right here, the Hammers produced what may show to be a season-defining late flurry.
Lastly clinching into gear and anticipated to be energetic throughout Monday’s Deadline Day, each West Ham and Potter have set themselves a benchmark set going ahead after September’s worldwide break.
A nightmare afternoon for Forest
With their iconic Europa League journey set to get underway in just a few weeks time and getting the 2025/26 marketing campaign underway with a 3-1 victory in opposition to Brentford on August seventeenth, it appeared the temper in Nottingham Forest’s camp was at a red-hot excessive.
Nevertheless, regardless of clinching a gap weekend victory on the Metropolis Floor, Nuno Espirito Santo’s facet have come crashing again all the way down to earth and there was loads of query marks over Santo’s long-term future.
Talking publicly about his dwindling relationship with membership proprietor Evangelos Marinakis final week, the previous Wolves boss seems to have some mounting points to take care of each on the pitch and behind the scenes.
Struggling a outstanding late collapse right here and getting hit with a primary dwelling defeat in opposition to West Ham since approach again in 2011, Forest have now proven some actual points on both facet of the summer season interval.
Together with failing to win any of their seven pre-season appearances over the summer season, Santo’s inconsistent squad have additionally gained only a pair of their earlier 9 Premier League showdowns persevering with on from final 12 months.
Paqueta steals all of the headlines
Whereas Matheus Fernandes may need been making his West Ham debut on Sunday afternoon having solely joined from Southampton not even 48 hours prior following a reported £40million take care of Southampton, it was one other midfield star who stole the entire consideration right here.
With Potter’s pre-match preparations taking a serious dent previous to Sunday’s journey, it was reported on Saturday evening that Aston Villa had been in superior discussions over a possible deal and it was additionally reported in some areas that Paqueta had knowledgeable Potter he didn’t need to characteristic on the Metropolis Floor.
Nevertheless, regardless of all of the noise away from the pitch, the Brazilian ace put in a monstrous efficiency in the course of the park and made his feeling clear after cooly changing from the penalty spot within the 88th-minute.
Celebrating by making a telephone sign along with his hand, throwing it over his shoulder and kissing the West Ham badge in entrance of the electrical travelling followers, that seemed to be a convincing assertion.
With beneath 24 hours till the summer season switch window slams shut, there is no such thing as a doubt that loads of eyes might be fastened on Paqueta and the place he’ll formally be when the window closes at 19:00pm on Monday evening.
Match Report
Nottingham Forest: Sels, Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams, Sangare, Anderson, Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Wooden
Subs: McAtee, Jesus, Hutchinson, Kalimuendo
West Ham: Hermansen, Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Kilman, Diouf, Soucek, Ward-Prowse, Fernandes, Bowen, Paqueta, Fulkrug
Subs: Wilson, Summerville, Irving
Targets: Bowen (84’), Paqueta (88’ P), Wilson (90+1’)
Yellow Playing cards: N/A
Crimson Playing cards: N/A
Referee: Craig Pawson
