West Ham United secured a much-needed victory and their first points of the Premier League season with a dominant second-half display against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Sunday. After a challenging start to the campaign, a late flurry of goals from Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paquetá, and Callum Wilson sealed a 3-0 win and provided significant relief for manager Graham Potter.
The match began as a tight and nervy affair, with both teams struggling to find a breakthrough. West Ham, keen to avoid a third consecutive defeat, focused on a disciplined defensive performance. The strategy paid off, as they held Forest at bay and kept the game scoreless at halftime.
The turning point came in the final minutes of the game. West Ham’s persistence was rewarded in the 84th minute when captain Jarrod Bowen found the back of the net with an impressive finish, breaking the deadlock and sending the away fans into a frenzy. Just four minutes later, the Hammers doubled their lead from the penalty spot. A foul on substitute Crysencio Summerville led to a penalty, which Lucas Paquetá calmly converted, putting West Ham in control. The victory was sealed in stoppage time when Callum Wilson scored his first goal for the club, heading home from a cross to make it 3-0.
The win provides a crucial boost for West Ham and their manager, Graham Potter, who was under pressure after heavy defeats in the opening two matches. Speaking after the game, Potter praised his team’s spirit. “The players deserve the night tonight, they deserve the win, they deserve the performance because of how they’ve acted and I’m really proud of them for that,” he said.
Conversely, the result only deepened the uncertainty around Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo. After a promising start to the season with a win and a draw, the team’s collapse in the second half left the Portuguese boss looking for answers. “It was a surprise after the first half we were in control, but the second half was shocking,” Espirito Santo said. The manager is now expected to hold talks with owner Evangelos Marinakis during the international break to address the club’s direction.
With the international break on the horizon, West Ham will look to build on this momentum, while Nottingham Forest faces a crucial period of reflection and difficult conversations
