FANS are all saying the same thing about Alphonse Areola following West Ham’s 4-0 win against Nottingham Forest.
David Moyes’ misfiring side turned on the style today as they smashed four past their relegation rivals.
ReutersFans are all saying the same thing about Alphonse Areola[/caption]
ReutersThe goalie was a sub in West Ham’s 4-0 win over Nottingham Forest[/caption]
Danny Ings opened the scoring in the 70th minute before netting a second moments later.
Declan Rice made sure of the result in the 78th minute before Michail Antonio joined in the fun five minutes from time.
But Hammers fans reckon it was the introduction of goalkeeper Areola that turned the game around.
The former Paris Saint-Germain star, 29, started Saturday’s game on the bench.
However, he came on just one minute before Ing’s opener after Lukasz Fabianski suffered an eye injury.
The veteran Pole took a knee to the head from Forest defender Felipe.
And Areola was hauled off the bench for just his second league appearance of the season.
But the 2018 France World Cup winner had an immediate positive effect on teammates as Ings fired home the hosts’ first.
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And as West Ham went on to torment Forest’s goal, many fans hailed Areola for turning them into a carbon copy of former side PSG.
One said: “Areola comes on and we turn into PSG.”
Another declared: “Areola comes on and we score 4…”
One noted: “Areola masterminding 4 goals as he walked onto the pitch.”
Another added: “He’s only been on the pitch 3 minutes and we scored twice.
“Areola is my man of the match.”
Areola started his pro career with PSG and made his first-ever appearance in the 2012-13 campaign.
But he was never able to command a regular starting spot and took in loans at Villarreal, Real Madrid and Fulham.
Areola spent last season on loan with the Hammers, making 18 appearances.
And Moyes was left so impressed he signed the Frenchman permanently for £10.5million last summer.
Areola has now made a total of 30 appearances for West Ham since his initial loan move.
And he could now be set for an extended run in the side should Fabianski’s injury turn out to be serious.