The pressure is piling on West Ham United striker Sebastien Haller ahead of Friday’s game against Leeds United.
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West Ham travel to Elland Road looking to get back on track after losing 3-1 to Manchester United last time out.
Leeds were beaten by the same scoreline at Chelsea.
West Ham should be confident going into the game against a newly-promoted side, especially given the way they have played this season.
Focus on Rice and Phillips but Haller is in the spotlight
But Leeds are no ordinary newly-promoted side.
All the focus ahead of the game will be on the battle between West Ham matchday skipper Declan Rice and his Leeds counterpart Kalvin Phillips.
The central midfielders are vying for the same spot in the England team. It is a battle being won by 21-year-old Rice. And the duo are full of admiration for one another.
There will also be increasing focus on £45million striker Haller at Leeds.
Earlier this week Leeds confirmed key defender Robin Koch has been ruled out for three months after requiring surgery.
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That in itself presented Haller with a great opportunity to take the game by the scruff of the neck and make his mark in Michail Antonio’s absence.
But now an extraordinarily honest Marcelo Bielsa has piled the pressure on Haller further by revealing he will also be without Koch’s back-up Diego Llorente for the West Ham game.
Bielsa, who was once interviewed for the West Ham job before they appointed Slaven Bilic, told Mirror reporter David Anderson the news.
“Marcelo Bielsa has reported a fresh injury for Llorente,” Anderson said on Twitter.
“He has suffered a muscle problem and will be out for 2-3 weeks. He also said Koch will be out for up to 3 months after having knee surgery. Ayling will partner Cooper at centre-back against West Ham.”
Luke Ayling is the flying full-back that is so effective in Bielsa’s Leeds setup.
So not only will Leeds be missing him going forward, Haller will surely now have a massive advantage up top for West Ham.
Haller divides opinion among West Ham fans. It is clear David Moyes does not fancy him either given he elected to risk a half-fit Antonio rather than continue with Haller up front in the win over Aston Villa.
Ayling has no right to win Haller battle as pressure piles on £45m Hammer who polarises opinion
With the January window looming there is speculation Moyes has made signing a striker – particularly Josh King – his priority.
That would only further push Haller down the West Ham pecking order as Moyes has proved he favours the wingback formation which dictates he plays with one striker.
Haller was in a similar position going into the game against Liverpool on Halloween.
That day the Reds were without Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Fabinho.
And hopes were high Haller would take advantage when rookie Nat Phillips deputised.
But the former Bolton man completely dominated Haller. So much so it prompted Jamie Carragher to state that West Ham’s signing simply must do more for the team.
Haller should bully Ayling all night long when West Ham play Leeds.
The makeshift centre-back has no right to win that particular battle.
So all eyes will be on how West Ham’s record signing performs with the pressure on to prove he has a future with the Hammers.
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