Credit: Imago

Samuel Fabre

Fri 13 February 2026 18:11, UK

Alphonse Areola has found himself back on the bench at West Ham.

Mads Hermansen replaced Areola at the start of this season after joining the Hammers from Leicester City, but the Frenchman quickly regained his spot in the team.

However, the Dane was reinstated to the starting lineup by Nuno Espirito Santo in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Burnley.

This has thrown speculation on Areola’s future in E20, who has had a mixed season for the Hammers, as seen by the Sofascore graphic below.

Nuno may come to regret his decision at the end of the season, as Areola has just won January’s Premier League Save of the Month award.

• Read more: Alan Pardew says Alphonse Areola problem must be addressed ‘very quickly’ at West Ham

Alphonse Areola wins Premier League Save of the Month award in January

West Ham lost 3-0 to Wolves on 3 January in what was a hugely damaging defeat to their survival hopes at the time.

During the match, Areola made a fantastic save with his left leg to deny Tolu Arokodare’s close-range header.

Although it had no bearing on the outcome of the match, it was the latest one of his stops that caught the eye for West Ham.

While he’ll appreciate the award, it’ll certainly come during a period of frustration.

Goalkeeping issues have plagued the Hammers multiple times this season, but Areola has done enough to prove that he should be starting over Hermansen.

• Read more: Alphonse Areola looks set for West Ham exit after new developments at London Stadium

Here’s how Areola beats all other goalkeepers in the Premier League

Areola has recorded 3.85 saves per 90 minutes, which is more than any other goalkeeper in the Premier League.

While the 32-year-old hasn’t kept a clean sheet in the top flight this season yet, he has often been let down by the defenders in front of him.

Hermansen made concerning mistakes in the heavy defeats to Chelsea and Sunderland at the start of the season, and he hasn’t filled the supporters with confidence at all.

Having spent £20million on the 25-year-old, it feels as if Nuno brought him back into the side to maintain his value.

Hermansen still has a lot to prove in E20, and if he doesn’t improve drastically, it could cost the Hammers their top-flight status.

Areola winning this award shows that he is capable of being the number one goalkeeper, and Nuno is making a terrible decision to keep him on the bench.

If you want more West Ham content, check out Football Insider for the latest from Nuno’s side.