West Ham face Sheffield United this evening as David Moyes attempts to kick start the Hammers climb back up the table in his second spell in charge of the London side. A win would send West Ham to 11th in the table and mask many of the flaws that were exposed under predecessor Manuel Pellegrini. But a loss to the high-flying Blades would leave Moyes teetering above the relegation zone, so he must select his squad carefully.
One area where two players are in tight competition for a single spot is left-back. Arthur Masuaku and Aaron Cresswell have exchanged runs in the starting XI, with the latter of the duo tending to have been preferred by their former boss. In his only Premier League game in charge, Moyes also started Cresswell, but the DR Congo international also has a strong case for a first-team place.
Concerning defending, the 26-year-old Masuaku comes out on top, averaging an enormous three tackles per game, bettered only by Declan Rice and Ryan Fredericks, proving he has the upper hand when it comes to thwarting opposition attacks. Furthermore, the DR Congo defender has recorded a greater number of interceptions per match and clearances per game, while being dribbled around less frequently than his English teammate. In a pure defensive sense, there is no contest as to who should be occupying the left side of West Ham’s backline.
Another indication that Moyes should trial Masuaku is that he has provided more key passes per 90 minutes than Cresswell, leading to one assist so far this season in his six starts. Though he may average approximately seven fewer passes per game than the Englishman, Masuaku is playing his with a higher accuracy leading to him conceding possession less frequently.
The only significant advantage Cresswell has over his teammate is that he is the Hammers’ second-highest scorer on three goals. Though even then he has scored just once in his last 11 appearances, while collecting six yellow cards, and history suggests his contribution in front of goal is a one-off rather than a consistent threat.
Based on the evidence, Moyes should at least consider starting Masuaku. In spite of some poor results, his individual performances have been enough to suggest he deserves a start against Sheffield United and he has a better chance of keeping the Blades quiet.
