Mateus Fernandes sends exciting message that West Ham fans will love to hear

Mateus Fernandes sends exciting message that West Ham fans will love to hear

Mateus Fernandes was the driving force behind West Ham United’s most impressive victory of the season as the Hammers overcame Sunderland on Saturday.

The midfielder delivered a commanding display, controlling the tempo of the game before capping it off with a sensational long-range strike that immediately put itself in contention for Goal of the Season. It was a standout moment in a performance that underlined just how influential Fernandes can be.

Despite ongoing speculation surrounding his future at the club, the 21-year-old once again showed why West Ham are desperate for him to maintain that level of form. While questions remain over his long-term status, there is no doubt the Hammers need Fernandes firing as they push through the remainder of the campaign.

Encouragingly, the player himself feels there is more to come, particularly in front of goal.

Fernandes believes further goals are on the horizon after being urged to shoot more frequently in training by teammates Lucas Paquetá and Jarrod Bowen. The strike against Sunderland marked his third goal of the season and comfortably his finest so far.

He came agonisingly close to adding another in the second half, unleashing a fierce effort that crashed against the crossbar while Konstantinos Mavropanos and Omar Alderete battled in the six-yard box.

When asked by The Athletic whether fans could expect more goals of a similar nature, Fernandes replied confidently: “Yes, I think so.”

West Ham’s victory has injected renewed belief into their fight for Premier League survival, even though Nottingham Forest maintained a five-point gap to safety with a win over Brentford. Having match-winners like Fernandes could prove crucial as the relegation battle intensifies.

His display did not go unnoticed, with Premier League legend Alan Shearer full of praise for the midfielder. Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Shearer said: “Fernandes in midfield I thought was absolutely outstanding. He bossed the midfield.”

If Fernandes can build on this momentum and add more goals before the season’s end, he could yet be the key figure in ensuring West Ham retain their top-flight status.