With mainstay midfielders Pedro Obiang and Mark Noble injured and suspended, there was a new pairing in the West Ham midfield in their 2-2 draw with Premier League prop-ups Sunderland at the weekend.

Edimilson Fernandes, handed only his second Premier League start of the season and his first in the preferred centre midfield role, lined up alongside Cheikhou Kouyate for the first time, and gave Hammers fans every hope for the future.

When Spanish midfielder Obiang was ruled out a few weeks ago, we floated the idea that the chance was now at the feet of Fernandes, who has impressed from the bench this season, to step up to the plate and show Slaven Bilic what he can do.

It seems that the Croatian manager had a similar trail of thought with the subsequent loss of Noble to suspension for the game against the Black Cats and this coming weekend’s clash with Everton. Speaking ahead of the trip to Sunderland, Bilic said of the Swiss summer signing:

“Sometimes we started with him, sometimes not. He came into a good team, he is a candidate and an option where we have Mark Noble who is captain, Kouyate who is Kouyate, Pedro Obiang who was playing good, [Manuel] Lanzini and all of them. But, he is doing that well in training and every time he came on, he had a good impact.

“No matter if we had to keep the result and press or someone to come on to get a result to distribute the ball with his quick feet and good distribution.

“My plans with him for next season are huge and I expect him to become a top player.”

High praise from a manager, and also a lot of pressure to perform when called upon. However, the midfielder – on his 21st birthday – did not shy away from such pressures and, although far from remarkable, put in a solid showing at the Stadium of Light.

Fernandes, the cousin of former Manchester City man Gelson, can take a lot from his second start of the season, and should be expecting a third this weekend, however, looking in the long run he can also take a lot from his injured teammate Obiang.

Having signed the summer before last, the Spaniard was every bit the bit-part player in his early West Ham career, but after hard work and impressive showings both on and off the pitch, he has established himself and become one of the Hammers top players in this mixed first season at the London Stadium.

Therefore, after Bilic’s high praise and declaration of his ‘huge’ plans, it looks like Fernandes is now well and truly on his way to a big career at West Ham.