West Ham United had Crysencio Summerville and Lucas Paqueta back for Sunday’s 1-1 draw away at Brighton and Hove Albion.
And it did not take long for the returning duo to showcase the qualities only they can bring to Nuno Espirito Santo’s team.
Early in the first-half, Lucas Paqueta got a little lucky, miskicking his first time pass around the corner. But, as he belatedly got it under control, the Brazil international then threaded a glorious through ball into the path of a streaking Crysencio Summerville.
Firing straight at Bart Verbruggen, this would not be the only time Summerville frustrated Nuno with his errant finishing. He blazed wide right at the end of the opening ’45 when set away again by Paqueta. This means West Ham United’s number seven has not scored a Premier League goal now in 14 months, since the 2-1 victory over Man United which spelled the end for Erik ten Hag.
As Jarrod Bowen fired an ‘unbelievable’ finish into the Brighton net, ending an eight-game goal drought along the way, Nuno must have been wishing Summerville took his earlier opportunities with such aplomb.
The good news is that, with Paqueta back from [another] suspension and Summerville fit enough to start after a spell on the sidelines, West Ham can go into Sunday’s clash with Aston Villa back at full strength.
Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP via Getty ImagesNuno Espirito Santo hails Lucas Paqueta’s West Ham United return
Nuno threw his weight behind Lucas Paqueta after the playmaker’s moment of madness against Liverpool a week ago.
He promised that, after Paqueta was sent off in ‘ridiculous’ circumstances, he would come straight back into the starting XI once he had served his time.
What is YOUR favourite Lucas Paqueta moment, and why?
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Nuno was as good as his word at the Amex.
And Paqueta, his mouth getting him into trouble against Liverpool, was keen to let his football do the talking this time around. The former AC Milan ace forced Bart Verbruggen into a save with a thunderous long range drive, while only Aaron Wan-Bissaka produced more than his tally of three key passes.
“I think Lucas played a good game,” Nuno said at full-time, a far more positive response to Paqueta’s first game back in the team. “Working well in the middle of the park, creating passes, I think he performed well.
“Summerville also came back and that’s the positive. We had to manage him, but he felt good. The idea of half-time was to assess him. He felt good, so we gave him 20 minutes more.”
Jarrod Bowen back in form as West Ham approach January transfer window
While Paqueta has been open about his desire to return to Brazil with boyhood club, and newly-crowned Copa Libertadores champions, Flamengo, Nuno remains confident that the number ten will still be a West Ham player come February. Come September 2026, though, that could be a very different story.
For the time being, at least West Ham have captain marvel Jarrod Bowen back on the scoresheet.
Was Jarrod Bowen simply unlucky? Or is there ANOTHER reason why his form had dipped under Nuno?
“I think I’ve been pretty unfortunate in a few weeks, if you go back to the Leeds United game with the overhead kick and the Newcastle United game where I hit the bar after four or five minutes.
“You can either let it eat you up inside, but the most important thing is the team, and the position that I’m in of being captain and having that responsibility, having that leadership to be the focal point of the team without scoring and assisting.”
– Jarrod Bowen after the draw at Brighton
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With Summerville’s long wait for a goal dragging on and with Paqueta’s long-term future uncertain, Bowen’s laser-guided finish at the Amex was a timely reminder of his own game-changing qualities.
“[Paqueta] is not okay. He’s suffering. He is disappointed. He is sad, but he realised the mistake that he made and he’s willing to move forward,” Nuno said after that bizarre red card in that 2-0 home defeat by Arne Slot’s side.
“This is what people sometimes are not aware of; all the problems that football players endure. But Lucas, I think, is going to overcome this situation.
“I think it is affecting him, but he’s willing to move forward, to try and put this aside and to continue to play football in the way that he does.
“What I can assure you is that here at the club, we have all the support that the players need. Not only Lucas, but all the players and the staff. We have processes in the club that help and are willing to provide assistance here in the club.”
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