West Ham United 3-0 Leeds United
West Ham United were relegated from the Premier League on Sunday, leaving manager Nuno Espírito Santo to face the media on what he called a “really tough day” for the club.
The Hammers went into the final day in the relegation zone, two points behind 17th place Tottenham Hotspur with a vastly inferior goal difference. Therefore, Nuno’s men needed to defeat Leeds United at home, while hoping Tottenham were beaten at home by Everton.
West Ham fulfilled their requirements, beating Leeds 3-0 thanks to goals by Taty Castellanos, Jarrod Bowen and Callum Wilson. However, Spurs defeated Everton through a Joao Palhinha goal to ensure their safety, meaning West Ham are relegated following a 14-year stint in the top flight.
“It’s a moment of deep sadness for all of us at the club,” Nuno said. “It was a tough day. We had a tough mission. We lost the privilege of deciding our own future, we lost this privilege and knew it was not only up to us. We did our part of the job, it didn’t happen, but we finished the season with character, with dignity, we played a good game, we won the game.
“Throughout the season, we were not able to sustain all the levels of performance of our players. The team, we had setbacks, we would react. It was a tough season. But the way the team and the boys did it in this second half of the season, I cannot say that we did well, but I think we competed well. The team spirit, the unity, the togetherness of the boys was something that has to make us proud as a group.
“This was a strange season in terms of points. Normally, 39 points will keep you safe and get you out of trouble. But it was a different season, the splitting of points was sometimes unexpected. But yeah, it was not enough, it was not enough and it's a very, very tough day for all of us. 39 points normally does it, it didn’t. It’s our responsibility.”
Fans right to be angry
Nuno, who took charge of the club in late September, refused to answer questions on his own future, but acknowledged the frustration of the fans. West Ham have the second-highest average attendance in the Premier League, with an average of over 62,000 filling the London Stadium for each home game, but fan sentiment towards the running of matters at board level has been hostile for some time.
“The support the fans gave us was amazing,” he said. “Especially here at London Stadium, we started that feeling that it was our home. Especially because of the fans, the way they supported us. We had tough days here, but the fans were always there.
“We are really sad and they are frustrated and disappointed and angry, and rightly so. But we tried, we tried. The Club is the fans. The most important part of the Club is the fans.
“We have amazing fans, they suffer, they know the team, they know the game, they know every detail. They understand, they understood the situation that the boys were in. In tough moments, they raise us up, they give us the energy that we needed.
“And we are just disappointed that we didn't give it back.”
