The Portugal Under-21 captain was one of the few bright spots in a Southampton side who finished 2024\/25 rock-bottom. Only one point better off than the Derby County side of \u201908 who broke records for all the wrong reasons.<\/p>\n
Things are about to get VERY tough! \ud83d\ude1f <\/p>\n
How many points can you see us picking up here?<\/p>\n
![\"West](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/West-Ham-new-fixtures-819x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Four months later, Mateus Fernandes<\/a> has gone from fearing a repeat of his St Mary\u2019s sinking to talking up the prospect of another \u2018Great Escape\u2019 in East London. <\/p>\n While Benjamin Sesko\u2019s 96th-minute equaliser ruined Nuno\u2019s mood<\/a> on Tuesday night, the Hammers are currently four points better off than they were after 26 games in that iconic, Carlos Tevez-inspired, Alan Curbishley-coached Houdini act of 19 years ago.<\/p>\n Mateus Fernandes confident about West Ham United\u2019s Premier League survival prospects<\/p>\n Fernandes credits Nuno with giving him the \u2018clarity\u2019<\/a> and the \u2018freedom\u2019 he needs to strut his stuff. His explosion into one of the division\u2019s most complete midfielders has coincided with a sudden upturn in form from his employers.<\/p>\n And speaking to DAZN<\/a> on a night when midfield partner Tomas Soucek broke a Premier League record<\/a>, Fernandes was more bullish than ever about West Ham\u2019s hopes of remaining a top-flight team beyond May.<\/p>\n \u201cWe try to focus on what we control. We are aware that we are still in the relegation zone but, if we continue like this, we will stay in the Premier League,\u201d said a supremely confident Fernandes. <\/p>\n \u201cStep by step. Football changes very quickly. One week you win and you\u2019re the best in the world, the next you lose and you\u2019re not so good anymore. <\/p>\n \u201cWe are aware of what we have been doing, of the work we have been doing. We ended up stabilising and, if we continue like this, we gain confidence and things will happen naturally and we will start winning points. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not easy to play in the Premier League and we know that. Every game and every point matters.\u201d<\/p>\n How does Mateus Fernandes compare to a young Declan Rice? \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf9 <\/p>\n What can he still IMPROVE upon?<\/p>\n Only Bournemouth, Chelsea and last night\u2019s opponents Manchester United have picked up more points than West Ham\u2019s 10 in the last five matches. That is double the amount of 17th place Nottingham Forest, although Sean Dyche\u2019s team are heavy favourites to beat a doomed Wolves outfit at the City Ground in a few hours\u2019 time.<\/p>\n![\"West](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-2260425501-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by Nigel French\/Sportsphoto\/Allstar via Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Mateus](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Mateus-Fernandes-last-5-games-819x1024.jpg\")
Michael Carrick hopes the Hammers survive <\/p>\n