Lucas Paqueta West Ham United Leicester badges
Lucas Paqueta is set to face Leicester with West Ham United [Credit: Imago]
Harri Burton
Tue 3 December 2024 19:13, UK
Julen Lopetegui has made the difficult decision to drop Lucas Paqueta from the starting XI as West Ham face Leicester City on Tuesday.
The Brazilian drops to the bench in just one of five changes [Official X account], joining Jean-Clair Todibo, Emerson, Crysencio Summerville and Michail Antonio on the bench, likely to the surprise of many fans.
The game also sees the return of Niclas Fullkrug, and Mohammed Kudus, to the matchday squad for the first time since the 3-1 loss to Manchester City in August, having sustained a long-term injury.
While the Hammers will be expected to take all three points at the King Power Stadium on 3 December, the manager has not been afraid to make changes and Paqueta needed to be dropped.
All fans at the London Stadium have noticed his drop in form this season, only notching two goals in the Premier League so far this term, and Carlos Soler has done more than enough to keep his spot in the team.
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Lopetegui has no other option but to claim all three points at the King Power Stadium. His job could depend on getting a positive result given the 5-2 collapse against Arsenal last time out.
The Hammers were 4-0 down in the blink of an eye, and while goals from Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Emerson provided a slimmer of hope, that quickly vanished as Bukayo Saka tucked away a penalty.
With Kudus returning from his five-match suspension, there is absolutely no room for deadweight in the team any longer, and Paqueta has not done enough to be in the side just because of his star-studded nature.
The Hammers are currently sitting 14th in the Premier League table, meaning that the manager cannot afford to have any passengers in his team, and Paqueta has already been labelled a “liability” by Alan Pardew.
Lopetegui is already under enough pressure, and should his side fail to secure all three points against the Foxes, it could already be the end of his time in East London with successor rumours circling.
In other West Ham news, an “important” player is surely on the verge of leaving East London after a new transfer update emerges.
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