Nuno Espirito Santo ultimately cost West Ham a trip to Wembley after defeat on penalties to Leeds despite an epic comeback in an FA Cup classic.
West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo rested a host of key stars in the FA Cup quarter-final against Leeds at the London Stadium and in the end it backfired.
The likes of Mads Hermansen, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean-Clair Todibo, Crysencio Summerville, Callum Wilson and Konstantinos Mavropanos were all missing.
The much-improved Mavropanos sat out the game due to concussion protocols after a clash of heads on international duty.
Hammers fans scramble to get back in for comeback after walkout
With Todibo nowhere to be seen, it meant the unfancied and unpopular Max Kilman came back into the West Ham starting XI against Leeds.
And West Ham fans turned on 4/10 flop Kilman as killjoy Nuno wrecked the club’s Wembley dream in the loss to Leeds.
How do you feel about fans booing Max Kilman? 😳
A goal in either half for Leeds, the second from the penalty spot after a ridiculously hashed sliding tackle by the hapless Kilman, looked like it had ended West Ham’s hopes of a trip to Wembley for a first semi-final in 20 years.
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Kilman was awful all game, consistently giving the ball away when under little to no pressure.
Many Hammers fans turned on him, booing Kilman when he had the ball after the penalty.
Max Kilman of West Ham gives away a penalty against Leeds
Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Jeers rang out at half-time with supporters angry at Nuno’s team selection.
And thousands of supporters walked out en masse when the scoreline went to 2-0, a clear sign of disgust.
West Ham fans were then forced into embarrassing U-turn as the team launched a late comeback to leave Leeds on the ropes.
Footage shown on HBO showed Hammers supporters trying to get back into the ground when Mateus Fernandes prodded home in stoppage time after Jarrod Bowen’s vicious effort struck a post.
West Ham fans were then given a harsh reminder that you should never leave a game early. Especially in a cup competition famed for its magic.
Nuno changes cost West Ham dream trip to Wembley
Hammers supporters love the FA Cup and always want their managers to field their strongest possible team in the competition.
So Nuno’s decision to rest so many key stars with a trip to Wembley so tantalisingly close was hugely controversial and risky.
You don’t get many opportunities to get to a Wembley semi-final, especially with a decent home draw.
So the mass walkout of frustrated fans was somewhat understandable given Nuno fielded something of a second string against Leeds.
A West Ham United fan celebrates during the Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final match against Leeds
Photo by Izzy Poles – AMA/Getty Images
Nuno’s logic will be that the Hammers welcome Wolves to the London Stadium on Friday night in what is categorically a must-win game in the club’s bid for Premier League survival.
Another game that will be key to West Ham staying up is Leeds’ return to east London on the final day.
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What can Summerville do to snatch victory from Fernandes?
Mateus Fernandes of West Ham United celebrates his goal with Crysencio Summerville of West Ham United during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Sunderland at the London Stadium in Stratford, England, on January 24, 2026.
If this was a dress rehearsal for that match then the relegation battle really is going to be as tense as you could possibly imagine.
Bowen huffed and puffed again and his shot led to the first West Ham goal.
Bowen was the best he has looked for some time, which bodes well for the run-in.
Adama Traore was hands down West Ham’s best player while El Hadji Malick Diouf and Axel Disasi also shone bright.
Traore and Disasi combined to send the London Stadium delirious when the muscle-bound winger’s curling cross was brilliantly steered home by the on loan Chelsea defender.
A VAR check for high foot left the Hammers holding their collective breath but the goal was given.
West Ham scored immediately in the first half of extra-time but Taty Castellanos was offside.
So too was Pablo when it looked like he had won it by sliding home the loose ball after another stinging Bowen shot from outside the box struck the inside of the post again.
TV cameras continuously panned to fans trying to return to their seats after walking out and those who had already left the exits as they were denied re-entry.
West Ham goalkeeper Fin Herrick saves a penalty against Leeds United
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
The second half of extra-time saw the Hammers on top again but a third goal to seal the comeback without the need for penalties proved elusive.
A game packed with unbelievable drama was not done there, though.
Rookie 20-year-old goalkeeper Finlay Herrick came on for the injured Alphonse Areola in the stoppage time of extra-time for his first ever appearance for his boyhood club.
And it was a night he will never forget for different reasons.
Herrick heroics but Hammers suffer shootout heartbreak
Herrick looked pumped up as he faced the no-lose situation of penalties. And it showed as he got West Ham off to a dream start by saving Leeds’ first penalty.
Bowen hit a tame effort which was also saved, though.
And when Pablo was guilty of the only other penalty miss with a shockingly lacklustre spot-kick, the Wembley dream was over for West Ham.
Nuno was to blame for his decision to rest so many players.
A win against Wolves on Friday will take some of the edge off the disappointment for fans. But only survival from here will make Nuno’s gamble remotely worthwhile.
West Ham player ratings vs Leeds:
Areola: 7/10, Walker-Peters: 7/10, Disasi: 8.5/10, Kilman: 4/10, Diouf: 8.5/10, Fernandes: 8.5/10, Potts: 5/10, Magassa: 5/10, Bowen: 8/10, Traore: 9/10, Castellanos: 7.5/10.
Subs:
Pablo: 6/10, Soucek: 8/10, Scarles: 6/10, Kante: 7/10, Mayers: 6/10, Herrick: 8/10.
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