West Ham United have struggled to find their feet in the Premier League this season, sitting just a solitary point above the relegation zone following this weekend’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace, but there is signs of encouragement behind the scenes.
The Hammers’ U23 side this season has been earning plenty of plaudits for superb performances and their form continued this week with a victory over Manchester City, where Nathan Holland and in-form Toni Martinez found the net.
20-year-old striker Martinez has already caught the headlines this season with a starring performance against Manchester United, where he became the first Hammers player to score a hat-trick in the London Stadium, and many believe he deserves his chance in the first-team.
Whether Slaven Bilic listens remains to be seen but Holland, speaking to the club’s official TV channel after the win against Manchester City, was full of praise for the young South American.
“I’m playing with great players and we all have good relationships on and off the pitch and we’ve really come on. We believe in each other, just like Toni today and he scored a brilliant goal and that got us the three points. It’s a brilliant team performance.”
With 21 goals in 22 U23 appearances since moving to West Ham, Martinez is certainly one to watch out for and could enjoy a rise into the first-team in the near future.
