West Ham United manager Nuno Espírito Santo was brimming with pride following his side’s historic 6-0 obliteration of Lincoln City on Wednesday night, singling out rising sensation Edvin Austbo and teenage defensive prodigy Airidas Golambeckis for transforming the Hammers’ attacking dynamic.
Coming off a tense first half where nine-man Lincoln packed their penalty box to frustrate the visitors, Nuno made a decisive half-time change by throwing on 21-year-old Norwegian winger Austbo. The £12 million summer signing from Viking FK needed just seconds to break Lincoln’s low block, cutting inside from the left flank to unleash a breathtaking, curling strike off the underside of the crossbar.
Austbo’s moment of brilliance triggered a second-half avalanche, earning him the Man of the Match award as Tomas Souček (2), Jarrod Bowen, and Pablo completed the biggest away league victory for West Ham since 1923.
Nuno Hails Austbo’s “Sensational” Impact: “We Need That Confidence”
Speaking to Sky Sports in his post-match interview, Nuno was effusive in his praise for Austbo, highlighting why director of player recruitment Nils Koppen fought so hard to secure the Norwegian Under-21 international in the summer transfer window.
“Happy, happy for Edvin,” Nuno beamed to Sky Sports. “[The way he scored the goal off the left] is something that he does really well. We need that type of confidence. One-v-one he’s good, and we need to take advantage of it.”
Austbo’s ability to unlock tight, overcrowded defenses in small spaces was precisely why Koppen targeted him from Viking FK. Facing a Sincil Bank penalty area packed with nine defender-minded players, Austbo’s explosive speed and direct dribbling proved to be the ultimate key to unlocking Lincoln’s low block.
Airidas Golambeckis: The Next Academy Superstar
The night also marked another major milestone for 18-year-old central defender Airidas Golambeckis, who came off the bench to make his second senior Championship appearance.
Having previously turned in an “amazing” debut performance under extreme pressure at Watford, Golambeckis enjoyed a controlled, composed outing as West Ham cruised through the final 20 minutes. He becomes the sixth academy graduate to earn his first-team debut under Nuno’s youth-focused regime.
“For Golambeckis, it is important to have Airidas at 18 years old to feel the pressure of playing for West Ham,” Nuno added. “It will make him better and keep him growing.”
Building Momentum for Saturday’s Top-of-the-Table Swansea Clash
The 6-0 thrashing lifted West Ham back into third place in the Championship table, boasting a league-leading +17 goal difference and narrowing the gap behind leaders Swansea City to just four points.
Reflecting on the patience required to breakdown a stubborn opponent before turning his focus to Saturday’s trip to the Swansea.com Stadium, Nuno made West Ham’s ultimate ambition clear:
“We knew it was going to be tough. Of course, the red cards make it not so tough if you want, but even with nine men, Lincoln were in the game… But we were patient enough to create the imbalance and score the goals. Happy. It was really important. [Winning in this manner] requires patience in the final third, good combinations, and more than anything, [you need] to finish the actions.”
Looking ahead to Saturday, Nuno concluded: “We have a big one [at Swansea]… We are trying to build momentum. The table is not vital to look at. We need to keep the lads focused, keep improving, and our objective is clear. We have to go back [to the Premier League].”
