NOTTINGHAM, England :A relieved West Ham United manager Graham Potter described his side’s 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest on Sunday as the first brick in the wall of their Premier League season after a woeful start.
Heavy defeats by Sunderland on the opening weekend and then Chelsea at home had left Potter under pressure.
But after digging deep to keep Forest at bay in the opening period at the City Ground, West Ham scored three late goals through captain Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta from the penalty spot and Callum Wilson, his first for the club.
“The world we’re in, things change quickly but, for us, we didn’t doubt the fight in the team, we didn’t doubt the spirit in the team, we didn’t doubt the quality in the team,” Potter said. “But when results are like they are, people are looking for things and reasons and you can get very simplistic.
“The players deserve the night tonight, they deserve the win, they deserve the performance because of how they’ve acted and I’m really proud of them for that.”
While there was some respite for Potter, heading into the international break, his opposite number Nuno Espirito Santo is expected to hold talks with club owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Forest started the season with a win and a draw from their first two games but a reported cooling of relations between owner and manager has left Espirito Santo’s position unclear.
“It was a surprise after the first half we were in control, but the second half was shocking,” the Portuguese said.
“We have to talk (with the owner), this result doesn’t help things but we have to address what the club needs.
“It’s a sad day and we are upset but in football you have a second chance to make it right.”
