DESPITE their recent dip in form, Manchester City remain one of the most formidable opponents in world football and for West Ham United, a visit to the Emirates is a time for fear and trepidation amongst supporters hoping to avoid the wholesale dismantling of their side’s fragile recovery under Nuno Espírito Santo.
The Hammers go north without even being able to field their strongest eleven. The loss of their first choice full backs to AFCON means a huge reshuffle is forced upon the West Ham head coach as he looks to deploy his thin resources without Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji-Malick Diouf.
Three centre backs likes to be the order of the day: Likely Maximilian Kilman will get the nod ahead of loanee Igor Julio based on price tag rather than on form to partner Mavropanos and Todib0- which will alsomean a recall for Ollie Scarles as a wing back. (Left, or right sided, though – who can tell what is in Nuno’s mind).
The 20 year old has recovered from collar bone surgery and whilst he’s unlikely to last a full 90 minutes, will stand in along with Kyle Walker Peters in the left and right wing back role. As sportsview.co.uk put it succinctly:
“Nuno will likely stick to a back three against City. Kyle Walker-Peters, who brings ‘high quality’, is in contention to start at wing-back alongside 20-year-old Oliver Scarles. Walker-Peters has the unenviable job of curtailing the Premier League’s most unpredictable dribbler (Jeremy Doku)”.
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Tough return on the cards for Ollie Scarles
You have to feel for both of them: Ring-rusty without much first team football, going up against one of the most expensively assembled, ruthlessly efficient attacks in world football, away from home, seems like the sporting equivalent of being thrown to the wolves.
Avoiding a cricket score will be the goal: Making it to half time without conceding will be a minor miracle in itself. Welcome back to first team football, Ollie.