Understandably, much has been made of Niclas Fullkrug’s return to West Ham action and how it might save the job of Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui.
However, it is the return of Mohammed Kudus that could have the biggest impact on whether the Spaniard can hang on to the West Ham top job.
Because without sugar-coating it too much, Fullkrug could be good, bad, or indifferent in a Claret & Blue shirt—and we wouldn’t know. Without him having started a Premier League game for the Hammers, it’s probably a stretch to expect the £27m striker to immediately start hitting the net.
Kudus, on the other hand, is a proven player who was beginning to find form before his five-match ban. The Ghanaian winger had scored in back-to-back games and had started to get to grips with playing on the left wing, which isn’t his best position.
That being said, I would put him into the team ahead of Crysencio Summerville, although it’s fair to say the Dutchman has done little wrong. His wonderful chipped goal against Arsenal was ruled out for offside, and perhaps on another day, he scores and retains his place in the starting line-up.
But Kudus is a battle-hardened Premier League player with a point to prove and is one of the top three dribblers in Europe. West Ham—and indeed Lopetegui himself—are in no position to leave top-class players out of the team given the club’s current position.
There is a certain irony to Kudus coming to Lopetegui’s rescue, given the pair’s argument earlier this season, but needs must because Leicester are poor and there for the taking, irrespective of any new manager bounce they may benefit from.
