Nuno firmly believes West Ham United are on the rise and are looking to break the deadlock.

2025-12-19 02:19

With the Christmas schedule approaching, West Ham United are about to travel to face Premier League powerhouse Manchester City. Despite recent inconsistent results, manager Nuno Espirito Santo has shown a tough stance, emphasizing that the team must break the deadlock by improving their game management.

At the pre-match press conference, Nuno bluntly pointed out the team's current weaknesses. He believes that although West Ham United have had impressive recent performances, they have repeatedly missed opportunities to win due to mistakes in details and psychological fluctuations.

“We can score first, but we can’t hold onto the lead, which shows that we are still lacking in finishing the game and mental adjustment,” Nuno said. “The game is a 100-minute game, and the players must maintain absolute focus and eliminate anxiety on the field.”

When asked about the schedule strategy, Nuno made it clear that he would not be distracted by the upcoming grueling schedule and the January transfer window. He emphasized that the team's only focus right now is Manchester City, followed by Fulham and Brighton. Before the window opens, the team still has nine points to fight for, and every point is crucial.

Manchester City are in excellent form, having won six consecutive matches across all competitions. Nuno praised Guardiola's team highly, but emphasized that West Ham United are not without a chance.

Nuno believes that instead of hoping to contain a single superstar, it's better to build a cohesive defense and teamwork. He said, "They are very good, and they have a very good manager, so the game will be very difficult. We need to compete with them and play well."

"We don't talk about 'what ifs,' we only look at reality. We are facing a very talented team from Manchester City, and it will be a tough battle."