Julen Lopetegui was very happy with West Ham’s Betway Cup win as they beat Celta Vigo on penalties after a 2-2 draw.

The Spaniard was thrilled to get more minutes into the legs of the players before the Premier opener against Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon. First-half goals from Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta in their first match back after International duty helped the Hammers get the win.

“This was a chance for us to win the trophy and to be ready for the first match of the season,” Lopetegui said.  “I think that we did a lot of good things, but we have to continue improving more in the defensive phase.

“They both played their first minutes with us today, and of course, they aren’t ready for 90 minutes at the moment. That’s why today’s game was really important, and so that we can make sure all of the players are in a good place to compete against Aston Villa.

We know that some players are heading into the new season with a small number of minutes, but this is something we have to be ready to adapt to and make sure we’re ready for the first match.”

This game was also the debut for a lot of the Hammers’ new arrivals. Guido Rodriguez who arrived on a free transfer after leaving Real Betis this week made his first start, playing the first half before being replaced by Ward-Prowse. Niclas Fullkrug played 30 minutes while Crysencio Summerville played just over twenty. Jean-Clair Todibo was signed the morning of the game, however, he didn’t play a part. Instead, he was watching in the stands with technical director Tim Steidten.

“The new players had the opportunity to get to know our stadium and to get to see what our fans are like. We have to say thank you to the fans for coming to the game today and supporting us – that’s very important for us.

“I’m sure we will have a fantastic atmosphere from them when we face Aston Villa next weekend. It will be a big challenge for us, and we have to be ready.

They are going to need time because they are coming into a new club and Guido [Rodríguez] and Niclas [Füllkrug] haven’t had full pre-seasons before joining us, so they have to work very hard in the next couple of weeks to be ready to help us in the early weeks of the season. ”

There is a lot expected of the Hammers this season after spending so much money after yet another solid campaign last time out. The club have brought in a lot of players, and are yet to lose a player of true significance. However, Lopetegui isn’t feeling the pressure and is excited for the season opener at the London Stadium on Saturday.

“We’ve been working hard during pre-season to prepare us for the first game. We are aware that we’re going to play against a strong team, but we are sure that we are going to be ready to work hard and give everything against Aston Villa.

This is our last week to work and to involve the new players that have arrived. We know that this will be the same for all teams in the league. We’re looking forward to starting the campaign.”