West Ham manager Nuno Espirito-Santo urged supporters to maintain their confidence in the team following growing discontent among fans after a draw at Watford left the club winless in the Championship. The match at Vicarage Road ended 1-1, with Watford’s Amin Nabizada scoring a deft finish that threatened to hand the home side victory before an own goal from Watford captain Mattie Pollock in the first half secured a point for the visitors.
West Ham, relegated from the Premier League last season and widely expected to contend for immediate promotion, have yet to register a Championship win after three opening matches, drawing against Burnley, Charlton, and most recently Watford. The result at Watford fueled frustration among fans, who jeered Espirito-Santo and chanted calling for his dismissal as he acknowledged the crowd after the game.
Addressing the fans’ reaction, Espirito-Santo acknowledged their disappointment but appealed for continued support. “When you don’t win a game you expect to win, and the fans are the most important part of our club, and I respect them so much, so I understand everything,” he said. “I just ask again, keep believing, keep trusting us, keep going and we will try to revert it. Hopefully, the winner will come, hopefully on Tuesday at our stadium.”
Responding to questions about the mounting pressure, the manager emphasized his confidence in the squad despite the disappointing start. “Pressure is every day. We are a big club, we are favourites to go up,” he said. “We have three games, we have two points. I believe. I trust my boys, I work very hard with them, we are building a team. Things will change. I’m positive.”
The club faces Wolves, who also suffered relegation and currently sit second in the Championship, at the London Stadium on Tuesday. With West Ham positioned 19th in the league, the fixture carries added significance amid intensifying pressure on Espirito-Santo’s side.
Watford head coach Alessio Dionisi, whose team earned the point, downplayed suggestions that his club might emerge as promotion contenders despite the early-season resilience. Dionisi highlighted the challenges his squad faces due to a limited roster and the grueling nature of the Championship campaign. “It’s difficult this season for us. It’s not easy to prepare better for the next match because we have few players. If we work well, we will arrive with good results. The Championship is 46 matches. There are negative moments, there are negative results,” he said.
Watford will travel to Swansea for their next fixture on Tuesday, as both clubs seek to build momentum in what promises to be a tightly contested Championship season.