Julen Lopetegui hails 'special' West Ham after late drama against 'one of the best teams in the world'

Julen Lopetegui hailed the mentality of his West Ham players after they beat Manchester United at the London Stadium.

The under-pressure Hammers boss was delighted by his side’s gutsy performance in their 2-1 victory, praising his players for getting the better of “one of the best teams in the world.”

West Ham moved up to 13th in the table with the victory, having also beaten the Red Devils at home last season, when David Moyes was in the dugout. The win eased pressure on Lopetegui, whose side had only won two of their first eight league games of the season before hosting United on Sunday.

“It is true they had chances in the first half, that is why we changed a lot at half-time”, said Lopetegui, who made a triple change at the break including introducing Crysencio Summerville, who eventually netted the opener with his first goal for the club.

“In the second half, I think we were better than them. I would like to highlight the commitment, the energy, and the mentality. And the support from our fans has been key to overcome bad moments. After they drew the match, we didn’t go down. It’s important for us to have this mentality.

“In the end we were able to overcome a very big team, one of the best teams in the world in Manchester United.”

Lopetegui insisting his side must not stand still, adding: “We are happy, but we are looking forward. To live under pressure as a coach is our life. I felt a special energy in the stadium. I am happy to give the fans the victory. And for the players too, because they deserved it and worked very hard.”