Gianluca Scamacca thanked a record London Stadium crowd for the reception he received on making his West Ham United debut.
The Italian centre-forward was given a deafening welcome by the home fans in the 62,443-strong attendance when he replaced Michail Antonio early in the second half of Sunday’s 2-0 Premier League defeat by Manchester City.
And while City and in particular their two-goal striker Erling Haaland were too good for the Hammers on the opening day, Scamacca will never forget the noise he heard when he ran onto the pitch for the first time in a Claret and Blue shirt.
“The fans were amazing,” he enthused. “We were sad because we didn’t take the three points, but I think the team worked and gave everything.
“I have never experienced anything like that noise from the fans before. This is so good, this is so good, and I hope I can give them a goal as soon as possible.”
The No7 did not give the ball away once on his West Ham debut, while he also won three of his four aerial battles and gave Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake plenty to think about.
Scamacca also tested Ederson with a powerful downward header that the City goalkeeper did well to turn aside, only for the assistant to raise his flag as the centre-forward had run in behind the City centre-backs a second too soon.
“I had a big chance and he made a big save, but sadly I was offside,” he lamented, before stating his determination to secure a first win in West Ham colours when the east Londoners travel to newly-promoted Nottingham Forest next Sunday afternoon.
“Manchester City are one of the best teams in the world and we tried to make the best, but now it’s gone and we will think about the next game.
“We will think about the next game, so let’s keep working and give everything and we can win this.”
