Nuno Espírito Santo declared Tomas Souček a ‘nightmare’ for opponents after the Czech midfielder rose from the bench to inspire West Ham to a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over fellow strugglers Burnley.
The Hammers had fallen a goal behind in the first half through a Zian Flemming header, before Callum Wilson equalised just before the break. However, it was the second-half introduction of Souček that proved decisive, with the midfielder scoring the go-ahead goal and then setting up Kyle Walker-Peters for what proved to be the winner.
The West Ham boss was effusive in his praise for the 250-appearance man.
“I’ve played against Thomas, I’ve played West Ham, many times, and every time I was analysing it, it was a nightmare,” Nuno admitted post-match. “How do you control Thomas getting in the box? He recognises the space and he has belief that not many players have. So good.”
The victory, their second in a row at home, moved the Hammers level on points with Burnley in the thick of the relegation fight. Nuno acknowledged the fight his team showed, especially after conceding the opening goal.
“The boys showed heart. They showed character to come from behind again, which is what we need,” he stated. “We can see some improvements in our boys and it’s important we stick together through this time. You cannot have anything else but respect and love for Tomas.”
However, the win did not come easy, with Burnley manager Scott Parker admitting his disappointment that his side “fell short in key moments.” Nuno’s team still had to rely on a late strike from Walker-Peters to settle the contest before a consolation goal from Josh Cullen deep into stoppage time.
For West Ham, the victory provided a much-needed lift for the fans, who staged another protest against the ownership before the game. The manager was keen to focus on the team’s spirit.
“We knew how big this game was. The fans deserved that result for their support,” Nuno concluded. “Now we have to take this belief and continue to do the hard work.”