by Staff Writer
Thursday, 26th February 2026
Nuno Espirito Santo says Pablo Felipe has returned to training - but cannot say when he expects him to be ready for selection again.
The January signing hit the ground running and proved a positive force as West Ham's form began to improve following his arrival and that of fellow forward Taty Castellanos.
However he has been out of action since the end of last month and is widely expected to remain sidelined for the majority of March.
Santo, while addressing the media this afternoon also took questions on West Ham's record at Anfield against Liverpool plus his own recent - and far more successful! - record, exiting the relegation zone, defensive solidity and clean sheets plus the avoidance of late goals...
Q: Pablo - you're hopeful that he'll get to join you soon. How is he?
NES: Getting on, he hasn't join us yet. He's starting his individual program, so improving day by day. And like I said, we keep assessing him and see when can you return.
Q: No estimate at the moment?
NES: No, it all depends on him and how he adapts to the [training] loads. And hopefully soon, we miss him.
Q: How's the rest of the team in terms of fitness?
NES: You know what it is. Always knocks, things to assess. Training session tomorrow and then we travel.
Q: How do you assess the last couple of games? It's been two draws, but I think a lot of people who watch the game might argue that it could have been wins. How do you assess it and relate to it?
NES: I think we performed well in both of the game that you mentioned. Also we performed well in the Cup, we did the job that we had to do so improvements. Unfortunately, some results are not coming, which we need, but in terms of performance and improving on different aspects [we're happy]. We got a clean sheet, that always motivates us and makes us chase this main goal in our games. Saturday is going to be a new one, so new things will happen, but we are confident as we are performing well.
Q: Because you're chasing at the moment - you're the team who needs to move up the table - and when you don't win those kind of games where you have a lot of chances, especially with the Bournemouth game, do you see them as dropped points? And how do you how do you assess them with the squad?
NES: No, we assess the reality - that we played a good game, that we wanted to achieve a different result in the game. Let's look at the game, let's see the mistakes that we made so we may improve them for the next one. We cannot save too much time and sorrow thinking what it could be. We have to react and bounce back.
Q: This weekend gives you a chance to move out of the bottom three. You'd have to win against Liverpool, which is obviously a tough ask, but what kind of motivation is that and do you use that specifically with the team? As motivation that you have got a chance to achieve that in the League?
NES: You know this is going to be tough. Going to Anfield's always tough, but at the same time a big challenge for us. You're going to face a fantastic team that's full of talented players. That can only bring the best out of us. This is what our major motivation is and realise that we have to - like we said - keep chasing, chasing, chasing. It's going to be a fight.
Q: How do you feel about being the chasers at the moment?
NES: It's the reality. It's been that way for some while now. We are in the fight.
Q: Is the team ready potentially to switch it round if you were to get out of the bottom three?
NES: We'll have to play the games and then we'll see!
Q: Clean sheets that have come recently and obviously didn't quite happen against Man United, but I think everyone would argue that defensively the organisation looks solid in recent weeks. What's been the key behind that and also what have you made of the partnership of Disasi and Mavropanos in recent week. Why is that working so well?
NES: Our defensive organisation comes from all the team, not only the back line. It comes from our striker, the way we organise, the way we intend to press. I think we are we are growing in that aspect of the game, which improves our defensive organisation. I think players know each other better and realise it is a team effort to achieve a clean sheet in the Premier League. It has to be a team effort.
Q: The last time you played Liverpool was at the end of November. What do you think the differences now are between that team, the West Ham team that lost 2-0 that day, and this West Ham team now who's who've closed the gap to two points?
NES: The difference are that we are in a different moment of the season and different players are playing which makes the game different. We know that we played at home against Liverpool, now it's at Anfield. We know how tough it's going to be. Tthe game is new, new things happening require new questions, new answers and new challenges And individuals, for us. But we are ready to play the game.
Q: Is the mentality of the team different? Do you think it is in a different space, do you think, with the confidence with how they're playing?
NES: Good performances always helps. In terms of atmosphere, it always helps. I think it was a very good week of work. The boys worked hard and well, we still have tomorrow, but the atmosphere is good. So we are confident realising how tough it's going to be. But we want to challenge it.
Q: Can I just ask one tactical question about the last game. If you only used two subs in that game against Bournemouth and I guess on paper people might have seen Traore potentially as someone who might have come on and changed the game. How come he was left out and how come you only used two subs in that?
NES: It's always the same. We look at the game, we see and we think what the team needs. We decided not to make too many subs because the team was doing well, but the subs are here for us to use them at the right moments. We have options, it all depends on what the game demands.
Q: You mentioned a couple of times going to Anfield, playing Liverpool is tough, but this season they've lost a few there, they've drawn a few, they've dropped more points than you might expect. Is it perhaps not as daunting going through now as been in previous years?
NES: It's always tough. No matter which position Liverpool is, no matter which conditions we are in, it's always tough because it's a great team, it's a very good team of football.
Q: You won there last season as a manager. You also got a draw against Liverpool as a manager last season. Do you feel it's a good match for you? Have you got a formula? Have you worked out Liverpool?
NES: Let's see, let's play the game. Like I said, I think it was a good week. It was a good week of work. We prepare it well, we still have tomorrow to put it together, travel and play the game. New things will happen. What happened in the past doesn't affect what's going to happen in in the Saturday.
Q: We saw last week, we've seen it across the season. Liverpool have a tendency to get late goals, they play right to the end. They score more goals in the 90th minutes or stoppage time than any other team in the Premier League. How do you get that message across to your team, bearing in mind late goals conceded against Manchester United, against Chelsea and Forest in recent matches? How, how, how can you influence that?
NES: Oh, you influence it the other way around. We said minute one is important. Then play game. Play the game action after action. Don't think about the late, think about the minute one. Switch on and play action after action. What I ask is focus, total concentration during the game.
Q: When the team has conceded late goals as you have recently and you're playing a team that's scored lots of late goals, can it, in that last 10 minutes, start to get into the into the players' minds?
NES: I hope not. Yeah, but it happened to us before. I think we are trying to correct it because it's been really damaging for us in terms of performance, results. You overcome the feeling after that. We are improving. We are improving on that, but we are not thinking about the late minutes of the game. We are thinking about minute one. And now we are thinking before, let's get ready tomorrow, let's prepare ourselves well and play the game. It's not about the late minutes, it's about minute one and then the consequences of all of the game.
Q: You talked about chasing the teams just above you, Tottenham and Nottingham Forest. They have a focus also with Europe as well and European matches to fit into their schedule. Does that benefit you in any way? The fact that you perhaps have more space in between to work more rest in between if you haven't got European football?
NES: We deal with our reality. This week we have days to prepare, next week is going to be shorter. I think all the squads in the Premier League are ready to face tough squads in the last days of recovering, so I don't see a big issue with that.
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