Nuno Espirito Santo was careful not to get overly enthusiastic during his interview with Sky Sports on Friday, reminding everyone that "we still have a big mission to accomplish, a hard job to do." His calm tone came after West Ham's convincing 4-0 victory over Wolves, a win that lifted the Hammers out of the relegation zone and ensured they would stay clear of the bottom three ahead of their Monday Night Football clash with Crystal Palace. Even with Tottenham's draw against Brighton on Saturday, which also helped keep West Ham safe, the Portuguese manager urged his players to "ignore the table and focus on what we have to do game by game." That advice may be sensible for the squad, but it also gives West Ham supporters a legitimate reason to celebrate the remarkable turnaround the club has achieved. When the team suffered a defeat to Nottingham Forest on January 6, they were seven points adrift of safety and a full 13 points behind Tottenham. Since then, five wins in eleven league matches have propelled them above the crucial safety line, effectively turning the season around.
The transformation has been driven by a substantial overhaul of the playing staff during the winter transfer window. Several players departed, including Lucas Paquetá, James Ward-Prowse, Guido Rodríguez, Andriy Irvin, George Eddie, Luis Guilherme, and Niclas Fullkrug. In their place, West Ham brought in new faces such as Axel Disasi, Taty Castellanos, Pablo Felip, Adama Traoré and Keiber Lamadrid.
Nuno explained that the club "reduced the numbers in terms of players and rebalanced our squad in terms of positions" to better suit the approach they wanted for the second half of the campaign. Statistically, the shift is evident.
From the start of the season until mid‑January, West Ham were ranked 17th for goals per game, 19th for big chances created and 16th for possession. After the window, they have deliberately given up some possession – now sitting at the bottom of the league in that metric – but have become far more potent in attack, climbing to sixth place for both goals per game and big chances created. The defensive side has also improved, with four clean sheets in the last eight Premier League fixtures, helped by the return of goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and the solidifying presence of loan signing Disasi.
Set‑piece defending, a historic weakness, has also been addressed. In the previous 21 matches West Ham conceded 12 goals from dead‑ball situations; over the last 11 games they have allowed just three, all of which came in a single encounter with Liverpool. Beyond tactics and personnel, Nuno believes the most important factor has been the growing camaraderie 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 to achieve." That sense of unity was on full display in 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, only to lose in the ensuing penalty shoot‑out.
"To take it to extra‑time and then to penalties showed that we don't give up, that we cannot give up," Nuno emphasized. "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 later saw his spot‑kick saved, but he responded by providing two assists in the subsequent league thrashing 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 that responsibility and never stops. This is the main message we want the squad to see: no matter the situation, we keep giving, we keep insisting, we keep believing. Jarrod is the proof of that." As West Ham prepare to travel to Selhurst Park on Monday night, they do so as a rejuvenated unit ready to confront the challenges ahead.
Nuno acknowledges the pressure that comes with each fixture, especially at this decisive stage of the season. "Every game is pressure, always pressure," he said.
"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." The narrative surrounding West Ham is now one of optimism and collective determination. With a rebalanced squad, a clear tactical identity, and a captain who leads by example, the Hammers are poised to make the most of the opportunity they have carved out. Whether they can sustain this momentum remains to be seen, but the belief within the dressing room suggests they will fight for every point, aiming to finish the season on a high note.