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Famous actor Ray Winstone has previewed West Ham’s must-win Premier League match against Wolves on Friday night.
The Hammers can escape the relegation zone with a victory over 20th-placed Wolves and pile the pressure on rivals Tottenham.
Like many West Ham fans, Winstone is feeling confident about the game after a decent run of results in recent months.
He highlighted the difference between Nuno Espirito Santo’s side now and the side he inherited from Graham Potter.
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Ray Winstone highlights West Ham’s improvement under Nuno Espirito Santo
Diehard West Ham supporter Ray Winstone cannot believe the impact Nuno and his coaching staff have had on the team.
He insisted the Hammers were heading for the Championship before the Portuguese manager took over at the London Stadium.
West Ham’s improvement in the second half of the season has given Winstone hope that they will survive relegation.
“It’s hopeful,” he said on talkSPORT. “I think Nuno is doing a blinding job. This team was dead and buried earlier in the year…”
Winstone highlighted Dinos Mavropanos as a prime example of a player who looks much better under Nuno than with Potter.
“If you had asked me eight weeks ago, we were gone,” he continued. “Mavropanos, at the beginning of the season and during the season, I was going, ‘What is this guy doing?’
“All of a sudden, I don’t know what Nuno has done with him, but he’s turned him into a fantastic centre-back. He looks the part now. So many other players look different.
“I was very disappointed with Graham Potter because I think Graham Potter is a really good manager, but something wasn’t right there. The team wasn’t gelling.
Photo by James Fearn/Getty Images
“Nobody seemed to know what their job was within the team, but Nuno seems to have brought that together. We look like a side now. We look like a football team.”
However, Nuno will undo much of his good work if the Hammers fail to take all three points against Wolves on Friday.
Thankfully, Winstone is confident that West Ham will have enough to beat Rob Edwards’ side and climb to 17th place.
“I think [the fans] will give everything tonight,” he added. “It’s not an easy game; it’s a tough game. They’re a good side, Wolves, but I fancy us.”
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