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The Portuguese U21 international has become a key figure in the manager’s plans for the Hammers and stood out in the game against Brighton, which ended in a 1-1 draw last Sunday.
Playing in a deeper role than the one he had when he first arrived in the Premier League to strengthen Southampton - who paid Sporting €15 million (£13m) for him - Mateus Fernandes set a new record for duels won in a single Premier League match this season, winning 16 out of the 18 he contested.
Against the Seagulls, Fernandes was a constant defensive presence for Nuno Espírito Santo and surpassed the records of Emmanuel Agadou (Wolves), Nordi Mukiele (Sunderland) and Thierno Barry (Everton), all of whom had won 15 duels, but with a lower success rate than the Portuguese’s 88.9%. He also made six ball recoveries and eight tackles.
In fact, Fernandes’ substitution in the 83rd minute drew some criticism of Nuno on social media, as Brighton went on to score the equaliser just eight minutes later through Georginio Rutter.
While at Southampton, he was a more attacking player and influential in the build-up. Fernandes has taken on a different role at West Ham and hasn’t felt the pressure of the €44 million (£38m) paid by the London club in the final days of the transfer window.
Since arriving at London Stadium, the 22-year-old midfielder has played 13 matches, scored once and provided an assist, but has really made his mark defensively for the Hammers.
The Alcochete academy graduate is the team’s leader in tackles (34) and ranks third for interceptions (11), the highest among non-defenders.
However, Nuno’s need to rely on Fernandes defensively has meant some of the midfielder’s attacking qualities have been less visible - last season, he scored three goals and provided six assists for the Premier League’s bottom side.
This season, the Portuguese has managed just one shot on target and another off target, showing how little he’s getting into scoring positions.
Even so, the number 18 has contributed to West Ham’s attacking play in other ways - 122 passes completed in the final third (third best in the squad) and a pass accuracy of 90.4% (the highest, alongside defender Nayef Aguerd).
If he can carry the confidence from his last performance into the attacking phase, Fernandes could prove to be a key asset for Nuno during the always-demanding December in the Premier League - and perhaps even catch the eye of Roberto Martínez for a call-up to the 2026 World Cup with Portugal.