West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo has urged captain Jarrod Bowen to channel his disappointment at being omitted from England's World Cup squad into fuel for the club's survival battle. Bowen, who has 22 caps for the Three Lions, was left out of Thomas Tuchel's 26-man squad for this summer's tournament.
The snub comes just two days before a crucial Premier League clash against Leeds United, where West Ham must win and hope Tottenham lose to Everton to avoid relegation. Nuno admitted Bowen was 'sad' but backed him to focus on the task at hand. 'He will immediately turn the page and focus on Sunday,' Nuno said.
Bowen has not scored in the Premier League since February, and his omission from the 2022 World Cup was previously blamed for a dip in form by then-boss David Moyes. However, Nuno insisted the captain does not need to prove anything. 'He just has to be himself, the best of him,' he added.
West Ham rely on former manager Moyes' Everton side to do them a favour, while aiming to avoid a first season in the Championship since 2012. Nuno called on fans to support the team, saying: 'They'll be there from the first minute... then it's up to us to deliver.'
