Alphonse Areola has called on his West Ham United teammates to build on Sunday’s impressive 2-0 win away at Manchester United, with two Premier League games of the 2024/25 season remaining.
The 32-year-old goalkeeper played a key role in an historic Hammers triumph over Ruben Amorim’s UEFA Europa League finalists, contributing a total of five saves to help earn the Club a seventh clean sheet of the campaign, and a first league win at Old Trafford since May 2007.
Amidst a particularly eye-catching second-half display, Areola stepped up to make two outstanding stops to keep out home forward Rasmus Højlund, after Tomáš Souček and Jarrod Bowen goals in either half had put the visitors on course for victory.
And now, with Graham Potter’s troops having put an end to their disappointing eight-game winless run, he is looking to build on the team’s ascent to 15th place, with a home clash against Nottingham Forest and a trip to Ipswich to come.
“Today I'm happy I've done my job,” Areola said. “The team did an amazing job from the first moment to the end, and I think we fully deserved that win.
“We worked so hard to get the result, and I think we have to enjoy the moment of winning against a big team in a big stadium. We showed who we are and what we’re about, and we competed really well throughout.
“Personally, I was happy when I saw I managed to keep the ball out of the goal, and then the guys were backing me up after the saves, just clearing the ball. It was an amazing feeling, and a day full of good moments that, like I said, I think we deserved.
“Now, we have to move forward and show the same things in the weeks we have left. There are two games, and we’ve shown today what we can do, so we want to make sure we have a strong end to the season.”
Opening scorer Souček marked his goal - his ninth of the top-flight season - by making a nod to the birth of his new son, Daniel, during his celebration, and Areola was understandably pleased for his colleague at the end of a memorable week.
Also among the West Ham squad, fellow goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański was one of four players confirmed to be leaving the Club at the end of the campaign on Friday, and our No23 paid tribute to the former Poland international, who he has worked with at close quarters since signing for the Irons, initially on loan, in July 2021.
Areola added: “It’s amazing [for Tomáš]. It’s good, new energy for him, and huge congratulations to him for the birth of his son but then also for coming back and scoring like he did today.
“The news [about the players leaving] was sad for us. They’ve done everything for the Club, and are part of history having been part of the squad that won the [UEFA Europa] Conference League.
“Since my first day here, Łukasz has always worked really well with me, and pushed me to be a better player. He’s had an amazing career, but he’s still a brilliant player and I just wish him all the best.”
