Newham Recorder

With no apparent future under Nuno Espírito Santo at West Ham United, the 33-year-old striker had spent the build-up to this crucial London derby being linked with moves to Everton, Burnley, Celtic and even Saudi Arabia.

But closer to home, the summer-signing from Newcastle United stepped from the bench in north London and struck his fifth goal of the campaign to ease the pressure on the Hammers head coach, who ended a barren ten-match, win-less run stretching back to early-November.

“It feels good to win in the last-minute because we have been on the other side of that so many times this season,” smiled Nuno following the vital 2-1 victory over his former club that reduced the deficit between wobbling West Ham – sitting precariously in 18th-spot - and safety to five points. “This means a lot to everyone – the players, the staff and the fans. It’s a very important three points.”

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After finally overcoming Queens Park Rangers (2-1) in extra-time in the FA Cup third-round last weekend, the Portuguese boss made five changes and switched formation, too, as Alphonse Areola, Ollie Scarles, Tomáš Soucek, Mateus Fernandes and Pablo each took their places in a 4-4-2 starting line-up.

“Last Sunday’s win over QPR gave us all smiles and there had been a good atmosphere in training all week,” revealed Nuno, who saw the Hammers take an interval lead through Crysencio Summerville’s deflected 18-yarder on the quarter-hour mark.

“We started well and played some good football in the first-half. We had control and enjoyed some good combinations going forward. Our game plan was based on the way we’d finished last week and we felt our energy up-front can cause teams problems.

“But having scored, we knew that Spurs would react in the second-half,” he continued after Cristian Romero’s 64th-minute header both drew the hosts level and looked to have some brought some respite to his equally under-pressure counterpart, Thomas Frank.

“Even though we had conceded, we still had to be brave because there are no other options for us in our situation.”

Indeed, with Taty Castellanos – the recent £25million signing from Lazio – making way for free-transfer Wilson as the fourth official signalled six minutes of additional time, the newly-arrived substitute was thwarted by Pedro Porro’s point-blank block.

But when Scarles floated over the consequent corner, Wilson was not to be denied a second time and, reacting first in a goalmouth scramble, he bundled home the winner before surviving an anxious Video Assistant Referee review for a suspected offside.

“We need all the players and all the options that we can possibly have,” insisted Nuno cryptically side-stepping all lines of questioning surrounding Wilson’s future in Claret & Blue. “It means so much to us to have all of the players committed to their training during the week. Even the ones who are not going to be involved in our matches help to make good opposition for those who are. We count on all the players."

“We’re still in the process of rebalancing the side so that we can be stronger for the final games,” concluded Nuno with the first of those last 16 league matches taking place against Sunderland at London Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 12:30). “We are still in the fight and we have to believe.”

After felling Nottingham Forest (3-0) prior to the international break, there was little hint of what was to come as the Hammers marked their return to action with a gritty, yet goalless, opening 45 minutes against Thomas Frank’s visitors.

But everything changed for the worse after the interval as Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Micky van de Ven each netted to secure a 3-0 victory over Graham Potter’s sorry side, who were reduced to ten men after Tomas Soucek was sent off with over half an hour remaining.

"The first half was even - we had good attacks and good moments, which was positive for us," insisted the Hammers head coach.

"We were also solid from a defensive perspective and didn’t give many chances away, while we dealt well with their set pieces, too.

"Our fans were with us at half-time.

"They were really there.

"They appreciated the fact we were in the game and they’d seen a committed, positive performance from a team making some good attacks but after that second half, everything feels negative."

Those supporters were still returning to their seats, when debutant Xavi Simons - a £52million signing from RB Leipzig – whipped over a deep corner to the far post, where the unmarked Sarr nodded home.

Then, on 54 minutes, Soucek was dismissed for a reckless, raking tackle on João Palhinha, whose ripped sock gave referee Jarred Gillett all the evidence he needed to produce an instant red card.

And with the red-faced Czech Republic midfielder still trudging down the tunnel of shame, the consequent free-kick was worked upfield towards Bergvall, who sent a looping 18-yard header over the stranded Mads Hermansen.

The hesitant Hammers keeper again found himself picking the ball out of his net midway through the second period after van de Ven secured the victory that sent Spurs into third spot.

"We made a mistake to concede their first goal," observed Potter.

"We’re talking fine margins at this level and we got punished.

"Then, the red card came along and although there was no intent or speed in Tomas’ challenge, if you raise your foot there’s going to be a potential problem."

With a car park blaze already causing a full-scale evacuation at nearby Westfield Shopping Centre, it certainly looked like a similar fire drill was underway at a rapidly emptying London Stadium, too.

"I get the fans’ frustration and reaction at seeing the scoreline run away from us so quickly after the red card and it all made for an uncomfortable evening – I’m really disappointed and feel for the players and the supporters.

"We’d had a good result at Nottingham Forest but I can understand why there was that feeling today."

With a fan protest planned at Saturday’s match against Crystal Palace (kick-off 3 pm) things are unlikely to get any easier down West Ham way any time soon.

"It’s been tough and, although I don’t think there’s a problem playing here, our home form hasn’t been good for a period of time," conceded Potter whose 18th-placed Hammers have now gone seven matches without a win at London Stadium - a wretched run stretching back to early March.

"That’s something we have to try to change and we’ve got to deal with it by focusing on the positive things, playing well and winning."

Just a fortnight after the Hammers went into the international break off the back of a formidable 4-1 victory over Ipswich Town, Julen Lopetegui saw Spurs beat his fragile team by an identical, sorry scoreline.

“It’s been very frustrating and, as a coach, I have to be concerned,” conceded the shell-shocked Spaniard following the claret and blue capitulation.

“Defensively, we have to do better and focus on our concentration. We need to be calmer, show more personality and display more character.

“If I’m honest, we must have better moments than today. The Premier League season is very long but, only at the end of it, will it be time for us to be judged on where we finally finish.”

Certainly, there was little sign of the things to come, when Mohammed Kudus slotted the visitors in front on 18 minutes.

But it all went downhill for both the Hammers head coach and his subsequently red-carded Ghanaian goal-getter, after that.

Dejan Kulusevski levelled just before the break and, after Yves Bissouma put Spurs ahead early in the second half, an Alphonse Areola own goal plus a strike from the fit-again Heung-Min Son then quickly put the contest out of reach.

“We played one of the Premier League’s best attacking-phase teams but we needed to stay mentally strong after we conceded that second goal because we still had lots of time left to get back into the game,” added Lopetegui.

“When we’re suffering, we must handle these bad moments in a much better way and, for sure, it’s not good to end up conceding three goals in eight minutes.

“The first half was interesting, the players did very well and we can still take away some good things from today but that’s not enough because everybody needs to play well for the full 90 minutes and more in every game.

"We must stay competitive and keep our mentality right until the end. Now we will go away and work very hard for our next challenge."

A fourth reverse of the season leaves the Hammers in 15th-place with eight points from as many games, but they must now face Manchester United at London Stadium on Sunday (2pm) without the suspended Kudus, following his skirmishes with Micky van de Ven and substitute Pape Matar Sarr in a feisty finale.

“It is not good for him or the club and we will speak together,” concluded Lopetegui, who waits to learn whether the enraged 38-cap Ghana international will be banned for more than three matches as a result of his derby dismissal for violent conduct.