Maximilian Kilman hailed the impact made by West Ham United’s substitutes in helping the Hammers to defeat Manchester United on Sunday.
After seeing his team produce an indifferent first-half performance, Head Coach Julen Lopetegui sent on Crysencio Summerville, Tomáš Souček and Jean-Clair Todibo at half-time, then introduced striker Danny Ings with 20 minutes to go.
All four played their part in West Ham’s 2-1 victory, with Summerville scoring at the end of a move that involved all three fellow substitutes, before Ings won the late penalty that captain Jarrod Bowen converted for the matchwinner.
Kilman himself was also integral, making a series of vital clearances and blocks to keep the Red Devils at bay, and the centre-back was delighted to have three points to celebrate at the final whistle.
“It's been a tough start, but we showed a lot of resilience and a lot of character,” he observed. “We’ve seen with the second half performance how we pushed on and we've got a great result against a top team.
“All the boys who came on have done a great job and changed the game for us and that's what we need, the whole squad to push us on. Sometimes the subs coming on get the job done and that's how it was on Sunday.
“Cree [Summerville] is so good on the ball. He had a great moment with his goal and he took it so we’re all grateful. It’s great for him, and great for the rest of the team.”
West Ham were out-shot eight to one in the first half and had goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański to thank for keeping them in the game in the opening 45 minutes.
The Hammers were a much more cohesive team in the second half, though, and went in front when Todibo and Guido Rodríguez combined to turn the ball over midway inside Manchester United territory. Seconds later, Summerville had put the Irons in front.
“We had to show way more resilience in the second half,” Kilman continued. “The manager’s message was we just had to make sure we improved on that performance in the first half and we did. We had some really good moments, pressed really high, gained the ball in good areas and it helped that the fans pushed us on really well.
“There are so many top teams in the Premier League so, whoever you play against, you know you're going to be up against tough, tough opposition. Obviously Manchester United are Manchester United, so it was just great to win.”
Kilman also had no doubt that referee David Coote’s decision to award a late penalty for Matthijs de Ligt’s challenge on Ings, following a visit to the pitchside monitor suggested by VAR Michael Oliver, was the correct one.
“I looked at it back and I thought that was the right decision,” he confirmed. “Of course, that's the referee's job, and he had time to look at VAR, so I think he got it right.”
An ever-present and popular member of the team, Kilman has now been a West Ham player for four months, having been reunited with his former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Lopetegui at the start of July. And it is clear he is enjoying his time in east London.
“I love it here,” he confirmed. “I’ve settled in really nicely. Everyone's made me feel so welcome so, I'm grateful to be here. I just want to kick on and keep improving and keep doing my best.
“It’s great to work with him again, him and his team. He is obviously very passionate. He wants to bring the best out of all his players. So we just need to keep working and everyone needs to keep getting their head down and keep improving.”
