Nuno Espirito Santo has named the worst part about his team’s lacklustre performance against Aston Villa.
West Ham were completely outplayed from start to finish at Villa Park and cannot complain about the 2-0 result.
The players may now live to regret missing an opportunity to escape the relegation zone for the first time in months.
But Nuno’s biggest takeaway from the game had nothing to do with either the result or its impact on the relegation battle.
A very underwhelming Villa Park defeat! 🙄
Describe THAT performance in one word…
Jarrod Bowen of West Ham United runs with the ball under pressure from Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and West Ham United at Villa Park on March 22, 2026 in Birmingham, England.
Nuno Espirito Santo ‘hurts’ after letting West Ham fans down
Nuno could have picked holes in so many aspects of his team’s display, but he highlighted something else instead.
The West Ham boss was most concerned about letting the travelling fans down, who had nothing to shout about at Villa Park.
He told Sky Sports: “It is not good to go into the international break with this feeling. It is realising that we must do better.
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“We have a lot of work to do. We didn’t play good, we have to react, do things better, and we are in the fight. It is a moment to reflect and realise we have to do much better.
Who is to blame for West Ham’s SHOCKING set piece record?
17 goals conceded now 🤦♂️
Nuno Espirito Santo gestures from the sidelines during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and West Ham United at Villa Park
Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images
“I think the fans today felt disappointed with us, and that is what hurts the most.”
The good news for Nuno is that it will take more than this bad result for Hammers supporters to turn their backs on him.
Indeed, Nuno has worked miracles to win over the fanbase after they had felt completely disillusioned during Graham Potter’s tenure.
All that matters now is that West Ham bounce back with a better performance against Leeds after the international break.
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