by Staff Writer
Wednesday, 8th April 2026
Nuno Espirito Santo was back in front of the glare of the nation's media this afternoon as he sat down with the press for his pre-match press conference ahead of the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday night.
The Premier League's bottom club face West Ham in Stratford on Friday night having already beaten United twice already this season, with West Ham desperate to win the third and final meeting between the two clubs this campaign.
And Santo faced questions on subjects including FA Cup disappointment, Aaron Wan-Bissaka's omission from the squad that faced Leeds, Max Kilman, Jean-CLair Todibo and, of course, the challenge posed by Wolves...
Q: Crysencio Summerville didn't make Leeds; how's he looking?
NES: He is improving. Him and JC are improving, Callum Wilson. So we still have tomorrow to assess them.
Q: Do they have a good chance for Friday?
NES: Ah, we are positive. We are positive that they can be available. Dinos is also clear of the concussion protocol so w are positive that they are going to be available.
Q: Just a couple from the weekend as well. Disasi, he looked like he was maybe carrying something and obviously Areola as well.
NES: Yeah, a lot of our players. It was a tough game. Extra time, a lot of energy but they are OK. Tiredness, you know, fatigue.
Q: Wembley is obviously something that everyone at West Ham were really desperate for. So how much work do you, the staff, the senior players have to put in to make sure now that Leeds is out of everyone's mind and the focus is just purely on Friday?
NES: It was a couple of difficult days like you imagine. We had a lot of hopes and believed that we can achieve reaching Wembley. I was disappointed, but the way we did it at the same time showed that we put up a fight, we reacted, we didn't give up until the end. But we move forward realising that our major fight is starting Friday.
Q: There's now a block of fixtures after the international break and the FA Cup, it starts with Wolves. They're bottom of the table, you're at home. A lot of people will see this as a must win, but West Ham have lost to Wolves twice this season. What did you make of them in the previous game and what have you made of the job that Rob Edwards has done since he's...
NES: It's going to be a tough game. The first time we faced them was probably one of the hardest moment that we have had as a group. It was a really disappointing performance, so we are confident that we're going to improve. We play at home which is a big advantage for us. We know that the fans are going to be there and we know we have a mission in our ends to to fulfill. Tough game, good team, improving. You can see that they are improving. So we expect a tough opponent, but we are ready to compete.
Q: You mentioned how disappointing that the last game against Wolves was; after the game, you were hugely disappointed. How worried were you around that period?
NES: It was a long time ago!. I cannot recall every single time... I knew was a disappointing performance and when we don't perform well, everybody gets affected. But we came through and proceed. We improved a lot. I think we are in a better place now.
Q: Because after that game obviously was the Forest game as well, which you lost I think. And then it was...
NES: Yeah, they were bad moments, but this is how we approach life. Up and downs, it's up to us to react.
Q: What do you think the main difference is between this team now and that team back then at the start of January?
NES: It's different. The moment is different, the players are in, I believe, in a better place. So we are confident.
Q: There's been quite a lot of conflicting reports about Aaron Wan-Bissaka and when he should have returned back from Congo. Can you just clear that up for us? Was he supposed to be in the Leeds squad? Is there any...
NES: Yeah, we'll deal with that. It was not possible for him to be here but now he's returned. It's good, he's working and let's see tomorrow if he can help the team.
Q: Was he supposed to be back for Leeds?
NES: Look, I don't want to go too much in details now. They reached a big thing in Congo, but he returned and he's good.
Q: Max Kilman. He was booed after he gave away the penalty against Leeds. Can you understand that from the fans perspective, when they're frustrated at a player or for you, is that something that should never happen really? When the home crowd boos their own player?
NES: I think in terms of the fans, they are giving much more to us than us to them. So we cannot complain. We have to thank them for everything that they are doing supporting us. I saw a good game from Max. OK, he was involved in the penalty incident, but I think he done quite well. He had a good game, especially for a player that hasn't been involved for such a long period in terms of competing, duels, in possession, plus he was involved the build up for the for the goal. So he did a lot of good things. And I think he handled the situation well and at the same time, the group helped. I saw teammates going around and supporting him. That shows a lot of togetherness among ourselves. It's positive.
Q: You say he handled it well. How is he at the moment?
NES: He's OK, he's working well, He's OK.
Q: Can he take inspiration from someone like Dinos who previously, I think it was fair to say, struggled, but his reputation with the fans now is completely different? He's one of the favourites, someone like him?
NES: He should, because it's not only specific players. Everybody in this industry has bad moments and sometimes it's how we react to them. And I think the reaction of mask Max was really good, the way he handled the situation.
Q: You already said that the fans give the team so much, but we saw some of them leave when the scoreline was 2-0. A big game, obviously on Friday night you're back at home, how much do the team need the fans? Because of the fact that there's seven games left and this one starts that set of games and the players are going to need them?
NES: I truly believe that the fans understand the situation that we are all in and the need that we have for their support. They're giving that a lot. It was a clear example that we as a group, we don't give up 'til the last minute. It's not only words, we prove ourselves in that situation with facts. So I hope that the fans trust us and support us on Friday, because it's going to be huge for us.
Q: I spoke to Jean-Clair Todibo yesterday and he said he feels Wolves will be under no pressure really coming into the game on Friday, but he said the players are feeling varying levels of pressure at the moment. How will you ensure that your players don't feel too weighed down by that pressure going into that game on Friday?
NES: We've been under pressure since the beginning! In the Premier League, you can ask anyone - player, coach, even the board, whatever - everyone is under pressure because we are under constant scrutiny. We are being evaluated in every action that we make. So the players are used to that and they are ready. What is important is that we are as a team, together with the fans because it's easier. I mean it's going to be tough, but it'll be much, much easier if we can count on all the support that we can have.
Q: Jean-Clair said something interesting actually in the interview. He spoke a lot about how much the players want to survive for themselves, for the club, but he also spoke a lot about how they are aware that if the club are relegated, people are going to lose their jobs at the club. Have you seen that extra commitment from the players, you know the responsibility from the players knowing that there's so much on the line? That it's not just about themselves?
NES: Yeah, that's the reality. That's why I say that we are as a club in a position that we do'tt to want to be and it's up to us, as players, as coachesm to take care of the mission that we have in hand. So we know, we are aware, but we are confident and we believe in each other.
Q: Just one final question on Jean-Clair; he spoke about how that red card and then he's just had an injury, how that really has affected his season where prior he was starting week in, week out. Have you seen him react to that sort of period when he got the red card? He has had an injury and he's had to obviously sit on the bench and bide his time to get back into the starting 11.
NES: I think he reacted well. When you got the red card he was in a good moment, the team was in a good moment. Unfortunately we missed him for three games, but he came back and had the setback in the warm up against Villa, but he's recovering well and he's always positive. He's always a very positive boy.
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