Nuno Espirito Santo kept his feet firmly on the ground during a recent interview with Sky Sports, reminding everyone that his team still has a "big mission" ahead and a tough task to complete. The comment came after West Ham's impressive 4-0 victory over Wolves, a result that lifted the club out of the relegation zone and allowed them to stay clear of the bottom three despite Tottenham's draw with Brighton on Saturday. With that safety net in place, the Hammers are now preparing for their Monday Night Football clash against Crystal Palace. "Let's try to ignore the table and focus on what we have to do game by game," Nuno urged, a piece of advice that makes sense for the players but also gives supporters a reason to celebrate the remarkable turnaround the team has experienced.
When West Ham lost to Nottingham Forest on 6 January, they were seven points adrift of safety and thirteen points behind Tottenham. Since then, five wins in eleven league fixtures have propelled them above the crucial safety line.
The squad looks almost like a different side. The winter transfer window saw a significant overhaul: Lucas Paquetá, James Ward-Prowse, Guido Rodríguez, Andriy Irving, George Earley, Luis Guilherme and Niclas Füllkrug departed, while new faces such as Axel Disasi, Taty Castellanos, Pablo Felipe, Adama Traoré and Keiber Lamadrid arrived. "We reduced the numbers in terms of players and rebalanced our squad in terms of positions," Nuno explained, adding that the club adopted a fresh approach for the second half of the season.
Statistically, the shift is evident. From the start of the campaign until mid‑January, West Ham were 17th for goals per game, 19th for big chances created and 16th for possession. Since that point, they have surrendered possession – now ranking 20th in the league – but have become far more potent in attack, sitting sixth for both goals per game and big chances created.
The defensive side has also tightened up, recording four clean sheets in the last eight Premier League matches after Mads Hermansen reclaimed the goalkeeper spot and loan signing Disasi solidified the back line. Set‑piece defending has improved dramatically. In the previous 21 games the Hammers had allowed 12 goals from dead‑ball situations; in the most recent 11 matches they have conceded only three, all of which came in a single encounter with Liverpool. Yet the most important factor, according to Nuno, is the camaraderie that has developed within the squad.
"If I can point to one particular aspect, I think everybody realised that we have to come together in the same objective," he said. "Football is a collective sport. Everybody is needed – the squad, the coaching staff, the club employees, the fans. We are getting closer together, helping each other to achieve what we want." That unity was on display during the FA Cup quarter‑final against Leeds United.
West Ham found themselves 2-0 down as stoppage time approached in the second half, yet they managed to pull two goals back to force extra‑time and eventually a penalty shoot‑out. Although they ultimately lost on penalties, the comeback demonstrated the team's refusal to surrender. "To take it to extra‑time and then to penalties showed that we don't give up, that we cannot give up," Nuno remarked.
"Not only words – we showed it in front of our fans. We cannot allow ourselves to ever give up.
Never give up." Captain Jarrod Bowen epitomised that resilience. He struck the woodwork twice in the cup tie and saw his own spot‑kick saved, but he responded by providing two assists in the subsequent league rout of Wolves. "He's been amazing. Jarrod has been huge for us," Nuno praised.
"He leads by example. The teammates trust him. He's the club captain. It means a lot.
He embraces the responsibility. Jarrod never stops." Bowen will lead a revitalised West Ham side onto the pitch at Selhurst Park on Monday night. The team is aware of the pressures that come with their precarious position, yet they are determined to seize the opportunity they have carved out together. "Every game is pressure, always pressure," Nuno acknowledged.
"It's increased due to the situation that we are in and we come to this decisive moment of the season, so we expect the best of our players, realising that everything is going to be decided now." With the squad united, the manager re‑balanced and the recent performances indicating a new attacking vigor, West Ham aim to consolidate their safety and perhaps push for a higher finish. The challenge remains steep, but the collective spirit that Nuno describes may well be the catalyst that turns a season of struggle into one of achievement.