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The confidence pulsing through the team in those 180 minutes was certainly in stark contrast to many of the other matches during the Portuguese's reign.
15 matches for West Ham to save themselves
Unfortunately, his old side, Nottingham Forest, winning against Brentford last time out, has kept the Hammers five points adrift, and an assignment at Stamford Bridge isn't the easiest of fixtures in which to earn three valuable points.
Of course, with 15 matches remaining in the 2025/26 season, there's plenty of time for the East Londoners to pull themselves out of the mire, though they can't leave anything to chance.
A cliché it may be, but every game is a final for the Irons now, whilst Chelsea has an entirely different goal in mind.
Currently in fifth position, they're one outside of the Champions League qualification spots for next season, and under new man in charge, Liam Rosenior, the top four remains well within their grasp at this point.
No Paqueta for the Hammers
They'll be buoyed by having automatically qualified for the knockout stages of this season's UCL in midweek, and will hope to take that forward into a game against an opponent that they had beaten 5-1 the last time the two teams played back in August.
Lucas Paqueta opened the scoring for the Hammers in that match, but the Brazilian will play no part here, or any other involving West Ham, after the London club agreed that the player could move to Flamengo.
Without his silky skills on the ball, the visitors to Stamford Bridge could struggle, particularly if other scorers in that August game - Joao Pedro, Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Trevoh Chalobah are all on form.
The win was the fourth of four straight victories for the Blues in this fixture, and that run, which began in May 2024, has seen the Hammers score just twice in these 360 minutes of football, with Chelsea scoring 15.
One win in 19 at the Bridge
The pressure will therefore be on West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen, and, if selected, Callum Wilson, to score the goals that will spring an upset and keep confidence high.
Lose at the Bridge (West Ham have won just one of their last 19 Premier League away games against Chelsea) and Forest win against Crystal Palace, and the Hammers will be at least six points from safety - and as many as seven if Leeds were to get a draw at home to Arsenal.
In a week's time, Forest play Leeds, and West Ham are at Burnley, and those are two relegation six-pointers if ever there were.
It remains to be seen if Nuno will allow James Ward-Prowse, who has just been loaned to Burnley, to play against his parent club.
At home so far this season, Chelsea have five wins, three draws, and three losses in 11 Premier League matches, whilst the East Londoners have earned 10 points from the 33 available away from the London Stadium.
Four consecutive wins for Liam Rosenior
Under Rosenior, the West London side have won both of their league games (and four consecutive victories in all competitions), but only three English managers have ever won their first three Premier League games.
Bobby Gould for Coventry City in August 1992, Sam Allardyce for Bolton Wanderers in August 2001 and Craig Shakespeare (five wins as caretaker manager for Leicester City) in April 2017.
You have to go back to December 2023 under David Moyes for the last time West Ham managed three consecutive wins in the English top-flight, and an area in which the Irons have appeared to struggle all season is defensively.
At the moment, they are the second-worst in the English top-flight in 2025/26 for total shots faced (346) and shots on target faced (124).
West Ham have conceded the most goals in the EPL
Their 45 goals conceded is the worst record of any side, and that's before facing a Blues side that have scored 39 goals in the league this season, and are therefore only outscored by Man Utd, Manchester City and Arsenal.
Furthermore, Chelsea have scored 109 goals in 59 Premier League games against West Ham, and only Tottenham (122 in 67 games) have let in more against the Blues.
One player who has really come into his own of late is West Ham's Crysencio Summerville.
After just one goal in his first 35 games for the club, he's scored two in his last two league fixtures, and another in the FA Cup, all three of which were the game's opening goal and set the Irons on their way to victory in each case (QPR, Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland).
Traore to give Irons a new dimension?
With new signing, Adama Traore, expected to make his debut for West Ham at Stamford Bridge, the visitors will have pace and power down both wings, which should curtail the forays of both Marc Cucurella and Malo Gusto/Reece James for long periods.
The hosts will arguably look towards Joao Pedro to continue his great goalscoring form - two more against Napoli in midweek sealed Chelsea's place in the UCL knockout rounds - and Enzo Fernandez, who has scored five and assisted two goals in his last nine appearances for the Blues in all competitions.
Rosenior may have one eye on the Carabao Cup semi-final that takes place next Tuesday too, when he decides on his final team selection.
Trailing Arsenal 3-2 from the first leg, the Blues have a genuine opportunity to get to Wembley, so the manager may again not risk Cole Palmer from the start - or at all - in this game.
Dario Essugo, Levi Colwill and Romeo Lavia are all still out, along with Tosin Adarabioyo, whilst the Hammers can boast a clean bill of health other than missing goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.
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