The decisive moment came in the 65th minute when in-form winger Crysencio Summerville punished a costly error from Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno. The Dutch attacker calmly finished into an empty net after Leno rushed out of his area and failed to clear the ball properly.

The goal was Summerville's seventh in his last 10 appearances, continuing a remarkable run of form that has helped revive West Ham's survival fight.

The win lifted West Ham level on points with 17th-placed Nottingham Forest, leaving them just outside the safety zone only on goal difference. It also pulled them within one point of Tottenham Hotspur, tightening the battle at the bottom of the Premier League table.

"It's a special night because we did a good game in a tough stadium against a very good team," said Nuno.
"We know how hard it is to come here and get a result. That's what pleases us the most."

Despite the importance of the victory, the Portuguese manager insisted the job was far from done.

"We always have belief and hope," he added. "But belief is not enough. What we need is improvement. Today was a big day for us, but nothing has changed. It still requires a lot more from all of us."

Summerville's composure in front of goal particularly impressed his manager.

"He's been very important," Nuno said. "He kept his composure in that moment and just passed the ball into the goal. He's full of confidence and we must take advantage of the talent he gives us."

Fulham had their chances in a tight contest. Josh King missed a clear first-half opportunity, while West Ham goalkeeper Mads Hermansen produced important saves, including a late stop from Emile Smith Rowe during stoppage time.

Fulham manager Marco Silva felt his side deserved more.

"Tight game, not many chances," Silva said. "We had a big chance in the first half and should have scored. The game was going in the direction we expected until the mistake."

"We gave the goal away and it took time to react. We lost a game we shouldn't have lost. It was a disappointing night for us."

For West Ham, however, the result could prove pivotal as the fight for survival intensifies in the closing weeks of the season.

Orlando Pirates' Innocent Maela battling back from injury setback