Nuno Santo had barely finished celebrating West Ham's fourth win in five outings before he was facing the media once again with a clash again Manchester United looming.
It's a clash between two of the Premier League's most in-form teams, with West Ham having picked up nine points from their last five outings and tomorrow night's visitors an even more impressive 13. But with West Ham holding home advantage, could that give them the edge over Michael Carrick's side?Find out what Nuno had to say in his pre-match presser as he discussed injuries, Burnley, the form of his players - specifically the red-hot Crysencio Summerville - plus the challenge presented by the Reds.
Q: Just after the Burnley game, has anyone picked up any major injuries since then?
NES: Yeah, unfortunately. We're going to have some players out unfortunately, with knocks. It is what it is. I'm not going to tell you who, sorry.
Q: Last week you seemed really disappointed after that Chelsea game, you kind of feel how that loss affected you. So how important was it that the team bounced back against Burnley in the manner they did?
NES: Very important. The way we reacted, the way we came across in the game, the way we played. The way we achieved a good performance and a good result in an important game. So really, really happy with the way we bounced back.
Q: And in particular getting that clean sheet, your first since you were here - how important was that for you personally and also for the team? How much does it help them in terms of the rest of the work they do, actually going forward as well.
NES: Yeah, it's very important for the team that we try to be solid In defence, because we believe that with the talent that we have up front we can create problems. So it's a good step moving forwards in terms of being compact. Achieving a clean sheet is really important for us.
Q: Psychologically for the team as well, when the gap now is just three points in terms of getting out of the relegation zone, is that important for it to be so close now? Just one game and you can go level potentially with a team like Nottingham Forest?
NES: We keep believing that it's up to us, we just have to do our jobs. We go day by day, game by game. We know how tough it's going to be tomorrow but we ignore what the other teams do. Our situation has changed but we still have to go. This is our new approach.
Q: The way the team's playing at the moment, I think you talked on the weekend about the combinations of the team and the way that they're playing. Is this the happiest you've been in terms of the football they're playing and just how the team is operating on the pitch?
NES: We are competing well and the players are committed. Of course with time it helps the connections, the complicities, the knowledge of the players. We brought new players in and many of them went straight in the team that needs time to get it [functioning] properly. But we believe that we are achieving, we have a team that is organised and things are starting to click, which makes me really happy.
Q: Can you tell me a little bit about your thinking in bringing Mads Hermansen back into the team on the weekend?
NES: The goalkeeper situation is a special one inside of the group. We decided to put Mads in, I think he did a good job. They are helping each other. Everybody's working and it's up to us to make decisions, looking always for the best of the team, trying to achieve better things, different things. But we are happy with the with the performance of Mads.
Q: Because the goalkeeper, I guess, is quite a unique position. If he's not playing, he's not going come on as a sub and get minutes. So how did you keep someone like Mads motivated during the season when he has'nt played for a long time? And how's he been, of how did he react to..?
NES: I've been there, as you know I was a goalkeeper sometimes playing, sometimes not playing and they have to help each other. This is what [Rui] Barbosa is doing inside of the small group of goalkeepers, realising that the one that plays needs the one that doesn't play to make him better, to push him to perform better. Before it was Alphonse and Mads pushing, now it's Mads that's starting and Alphonse is doing an amazing job - so we trust both of them.
Q: Axel Disasi went straight into the team, keeps a clean sheet. How impressed were you with him and can you give me a few words on his debut?
NES: I think he did really well for someone that only had one week with us. He was very aware of the needs of the team and integrated really well in terms of how we played. He's even turning around creating bonds, it helps. It's not about the individual, you know, as a back line. So I think he did well and hope it continues.
Q: It's Man United tomorrow, but a very different one I guess to the team you played in December with a new coach. What have you made of Michael Carrick's start?
NES: I think they are playing very good. They come from a good dynamic. They are in a good moment, you can see that. The players are confident And you know, it's going to be tough because they have a lot of talented players.
Q: Do you feel like both teams have changed quite a lot since you last played them? I guess you're playing a slightly different style. They've got a new coach playing a different way as well. Do you do you think it's a completely Kind of different game to the one..?
NES: Yeah, it's going to be totally different. It's always like this in football. A new game, new things will happen, new decisions have to be made. But look, all the teams have these situations during the season, they change. Sometimes it works out and if not, you have to change it again, looking for the best. I think it's clear that Man United have changed and now they are playing good.
Q: I noticed after the game on the weekend you really bigged up the away support and how much they gave you and the team. It is important now, with all the games being huge, but especially tomorrow night that you kind of get the same response from the home crowd as well?
NES: Yeah, it's been amazing. They've been very supportive, it was like this in Burnley. Let's try to put this energy tomorrow because you need them. We know that it's up to us to give to our fans, then our fans are going to give back.
Q: I've asked you a couple of times over the last few weeks about [Crysencio] Summerville, his form and each time you say you want more from him. What more can he give you in terms of five goals in in five matches?
NES: I think he's doing great. He's doing really good, but we always want more. More than anything we want consistency. We want to repeat these actions in all the games. I think he's in a good moment. He's full of confidence. He's scoring, he's assisting, Jarrod's scoring and he's assisting, Taty's is scoring, Callum. You know, we need all these front players to have this confidence, that helps the team and he is doing that in a very good way.
Q: Do you say to him "give me more"? Is there more to his game or is it "just keep doing what you're doing at the moment"? Are you still seeing areas where he can do a bit more?
NES: Not only with Summerville, with all the players. We try to look at them and say "how can we make you better? How can you do more things that helps the team?" So we are always asking and demanding more from our players because the situation requires the best of them.
Q: From a managerial point of view when you have a player who hits that form, how much of a difference does that make? When they go onto the pitch and they feel they can go out and win matches, when they've got that confidence about them: does it make your job a lot easier, when the players have that within them?
NES: Of course and it's our job to try and maintain these levels of confidence. Good performances by the team increases the confidence of the players. From my point of view, it's always hard because we are aware that football is only what to do today and tomorrow is going to be a new day. So all the things, the positive things that we are speaking about here, we want them to continue tomorrow and for the next one. So from a managerial point of view, what you have to do is to ask for more. It's always to demand more, because talented players can give much more.
Q: In terms of Manchester United, you mentioned before it's different now from how it was even just a couple of months ago. What specifically about Man United have you noticed that different about them from when you faced them back in early December?
NES: No, it's difficult to compare. It's not about comparing, it's a different shape and it's a different manager with new ideas. So what we are looking at now is not what was before. What we'll see in front of us tomorrow is going to be a very good team that's organised and, like I said, talented all over the pitch.
Q: One of those players, Bruno Fernandes, has created more chances than any other player in the Premier League this season by a distance. Do you look at it as a case of if you can stifle Fernandes, if you can maybe block the supply to him, then maybe you can stop [the team]?
NES: We look at many things In Man United, but definitely - Bruno Fernandes is one that we have to look at. He's a fantastic player. I have big admiration for Bruno.
Q: Just looking back to when did the press conference before that match in in December, I think you'd had a couple of games where you'd barely had a shot on goal. It's very different now. You're getting a lot more efforts on target. What changed?
NES: I think we've been able to put more bodies in the box the way we are playing, achieving better combinations in the final third. And we've been scoring. The players that came in are giving a big boost to the team. To score goals, you have to put bodies in the box and you have to shoot. We dare our players to try things, to challenge themselves, to take risks - because with risk comes rewards.
Q: The confidence has been good, the results have been good. How much would a win against an in-form Manchester United do for the team?
We have to Play the game. we have To play the game I believe that we are ready to compete, to elevate against a very good team. Let's see, let's hope for the game.
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