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West Ham’s Saviour Summerville Shines in Recent Form

Crysencio Summerville proved instrumental for West Ham once more, as the team secured a win over Burton, advancing to the fifth round of the FA Cup.

This season, Crysencio Summerville has made a total of 23 appearances for West Ham, contributing to the team's efforts.

West Ham found themselves in a difficult spot, but Crysencio Summerville proved to be the decisive factor once again.

The 25-year-old player came off the bench and scored the winning goal against Burton, helping the Hammers overcome an FA Cup challenge.

Summerville's goal in the 95th minute marked his sixth goal in seven games, as West Ham required extra time to defeat their League One opponents.

A similar scenario unfolded in the third round, where West Ham edged out QPR in extra time after Summerville had given them the lead.

Since then, Summerville's goals have been instrumental in West Ham's victories over Tottenham, Sunderland, and Burnley, revitalizing their Premier League survival bid.

In an interview with TNT, Summerville stated, "We were aware that this match would be challenging. We persevered and withstood the pressure. As for me, I aim to contribute to the team whenever I come in, and today was a successful day, so I'm pleased."

"In open games, I try to capitalize on one-on-one situations, which is my forte. Lately, I've been in a good place. After recovering from my injury, I'm just happy to be back on the pitch, and I strive to demonstrate this week after week."

During his final season at Leeds, Summerville scored 21 goals, but the team fell short in the Championship play-off final against Southampton under Daniel Farke's management.

West Ham invested £25m in Summerville in August 2024, but his debut season was marred by an injury that forced him to undergo surgery for a severe hamstring issue.

As a result, Summerville's debut season was limited to just one goal in 22 appearances before he was sidelined for seven months.

It was a gradual process for Summerville to regain his form and consistency, as he failed to score in his first 16 appearances this season.

However, the Netherlands Under-21s international has now become West Ham's reliable match-winner, with his sights set on a World Cup spot with his country this summer.

Teammate Konstantinos Mavropanos told BBC Radio 5 Live, "We knew the type of player we were getting when we signed him, and now that he's in top form, he just needs to maintain his performance."

"Over the past couple of weeks, we've seen improvement, and we're eager to achieve more than we did in the first half of the season. We support each other, and we do the same for Cry, recognizing his strengths and trying to utilize them to our advantage."

"We all work together to help one another, and we've been doing the same for Cry. We're aware of his qualities, and we try to bring out the best in him."

Prior to his current streak, Summerville's previous six goals came from 56 club appearances across all competitions, with five of those goals scored for Leeds and one for West Ham.

Summerville's form could not have come at a more opportune time, as West Ham sits third from the bottom in the Premier League, three points behind 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.

The Hammers are set to host Bournemouth on Saturday and then face Liverpool on 28 February, with Summerville having rediscovered the form that prompted West Ham to invest heavily in him.

According to boss Nuno Espirito Santo, "He's currently in a good moment, exuding confidence, and everything seems to be going his way, so we need to capitalize on this."

"Confidence is key for all players. He's in a good place right now, and he's working for the team. In the Premier League, you can't succeed without self-confidence."

Nuno Espirito Santo defended his decision not to bring Summerville on earlier than the 83rd minute, stating that making 10 changes was the right call for his team.

"Sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn't, but it's about what the team needs. It's essential to respect the players who started the game."

"We anticipated that Burton would come on strong, and every throw-in and set-piece required our full attention. The players did well in that aspect, but there were some tired legs in extra time, and Summerville made a significant impact."

"When he's one-on-one and has space, he's almost unstoppable. Summerville helped us out, and we're grateful for his contribution."

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Hodgkinson Eyes World Record After Setting New Benchmark

At the UK Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Keely Hodgkinson expressed her intention to pursue a world record, having recently shattered the British 800m record.

In a dominant display, Keely Hodgkinson finished nine seconds clear of the field in the 800m event at the UK Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham.

Following her record-breaking performance at the UK Athletics Indoor Championships, Keely Hodgkinson has set her sights on achieving a new world record in the 800m event.

The 23-year-old Olympic gold medalist from 2024 delivered an impressive time of 1:56.33 in the heats, surpassing her own British record by nearly one second.

This achievement marked the fastest women's 800m time in 24 years and the third-fastest in history.

Although she had announced prior to the event that she would not participate in the final due to her upcoming appearance at the Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais Trophee in France, Hodgkinson viewed the run as an opportunity for personal growth.

She explained that her primary goal was to qualify for the upcoming world championships in Poland, which is why she only participated in one round.

Hodgkinson considered the experience a valuable test, given that it had been three years since she last competed indoors, and she recognized the need to maintain her focus.

While not initially intending to set a world-leading time, Hodgkinson started strongly and managed to sustain her pace, resulting in a pleasant surprise and a strong overall performance.

When questioned about her ambition to break Jolanda Ceplak's indoor world record of 1:55.82, set in 2002, Hodgkinson expressed her determination, stating that she has long been vocal about her desire to claim the record.

Hodgkinson emphasized that she believes the record is within her reach and intends to make a serious attempt to break it.

On the first day of the championships, Dina Asher-Smith delivered a remarkable performance, winning the women's 60m title with a time of 7.05 seconds, narrowly edging out Amy Hunt by a tenth of a second and establishing a new championship record.

In a post-event interview, the 27-year-old Asher-Smith mentioned that she had been feeling strong throughout the indoor season, noting that sometimes patience and race sharpness are essential for achieving fast times.

Asher-Smith's winning margin over Amy Hunt was a mere tenth of a second.

Jeremiah Azu, the 24-year-old world and European indoor champion, successfully defended his UK title in the men's 60m, achieving a season's best time of 6.56 seconds.

Molly Caudery regained the women's pole vault title by clearing a height of 4.65m, while Owen Heard secured the men's title with a jump of 5.55m.

Lucy Hadaway emerged victorious in the women's long jump with a leap of 6.45m, and Tito Odunaike took the men's triple jump title with a distance of 15.45m.

Abigail Pawlett won the women's 60m hurdles with a personal best time of 8.05 seconds, and Daniel Goriola claimed the men's title with a season's best of 7.78 seconds.

Madeline Down finished first in the women's para 60m final with a time of 8.24 seconds, and Kevin Santos won the men's title with a time of 6.93 seconds.

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Hull edge out Bradford in Super League comeback match

Hull FC narrowly defeated Bradford Bulls 27-20 at the MKM Stadium, thwarting the latter’s bid for a comeback win in their Super League return.

A try from Harvey Barron contributed to Hull FC's win over the Bradford Bulls.

The scoring breakdown for Hull FC included tries from Batchelor, Barron, Litten, and Cust, with Pryce making five goals and adding a drop goal.

Bradford's scoring consisted of tries by Blake and two from Wynne, with Milnes converting four goals.

Bradford Bulls' return to Super League after an 11-year absence ended in a narrow 27-20 defeat to Hull FC, who secured the win in the final minutes of the match at the MKM Stadium.

Following York Knights' one-point upset over reigning champions Hull KR just 48 hours prior, Bradford Bulls found themselves on the losing end of another thrilling season-opening match.

The Bulls put up a strong fight, with the score tied and only three minutes remaining in regular time, making it a closely contested match until the end.

A drop goal by Hull FC's Will Pryce gave his team the lead, and Cade Cust sealed the victory with a try in the 79th minute.

The Hull FC lineup consisted of Pryce, Barron, Hardaker, Litten, Martin, Kemp, Sezer, Knight, Bourouh, Hill, Batchelor, Romano, and Aydin.

Hull FC's interchange players were Cust, Fash, Lisone, and Sao.

The Bradford team included Aekins, Okunbor, Marsters, Blake, Wynne, Keyes, Milnes, Sutton, Ackers, Lewis, Russell, Fulton, and Mellor.

Bradford's interchange players were Souter, Scurr, Doro, and Chamberlain.

The match was refereed by Marcus Griffiths.

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Shearer calls for Digne dismissal over reckless challenge

Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, and Dion Dublin weighed in on whether Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne deserved a red card for his high challenge on Norwich City’s Jacob Murphy.

A debate is underway regarding Aston Villa's Lucas Digne, with former footballers Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, and Dion Dublin weighing in on whether his high challenge on Jacob Murphy warranted a red card for Aston Villa.

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