Mario Lemina speaks out after what happened in West Ham United win v Wolves
Wolves midfielder Mario Lemina has broken his silence on his altercation with Jarrod Bowen following the final whistle of the 2-1 loss against West Ham United.
Julen Lopetegui prepared for the clash on Monday [9 December] knowing three points would ease the growing pressure on his future in East London.
Bowen secured the victory for the Irons with his 72nd-minute strike to pile further pressure on Gary O’Neil, but the captain found himself in a scuffle with Lemina after the final whistle – the Gabonese international had to be pulled away by teammate Toti.
However, less than 24 hours after the unsavoury scenes in East London, Lemina apologised for his actions via his Instagram account [10 December].
He said: “I write this message with great hindsight, and I really want to apologise to all the people who love this club and who love football.
“I never wanted this to happen on the ground. I have always been a fair player, even in defeat.
“If something is said, make sure the truth comes out. I shook this player’s hand, as I always do, and I was grabbed by the shirt and thrown to the ground. I just reacted to a situation that I didn’t cause at all.
“I love my team, the staff and all the people who make up this club. We [are] all gonna fight harder to overcome this situation. Shaun you already know. We gonna fight again and again.”
Julen Lopetegui survives a feisty ‘El Sackico’ clash for West Ham United
Considering how much was on the line for both sides heading into the clash on Monday, Lemina’s actions are understandable.
Tensions were always going to boil over in a hotly contested match at the London Stadium; Lemina and Bowen were cautioned for inciting the incident and could face further FA punishment upon a review of the footage and match report.
However, Lopetegui will be relieved that his future in East London is safe for now, but the board is still eager to see an improvement in results moving forward.
The Hammers will face Bournemouth, Brighton and Southampton before hosting Liverpool to see out 2024 – a run of four consecutive victories ahead of the match against the Premier League leaders will be required to ensure the Spaniard’s role is secure.
Lopetegui has struggled for consistency throughout his tenure with the Irons – he followed up victories against Manchester United and Newcastle United with defeats against Nottingham Forest and Arsenal, respectively – and this will undoubtedly be at the forefront of the board’s thinking when deliberating the next steps.
He has overcome another make-or-break match for West Ham, and the scenes with Lemina were a stark reminder to the supporters that the situation in East London could be far worse – now it is time to wait and see how Lopetegui reacts to his latest victory.
In other West Ham news, a Hammers source has responded to the latest David Moyes developments.
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