As if Nuno Espirito Santo did not have enough to worry about, the West Ham United head coach is now sweating on the fitness of Ollie Scarles after losing Kyle Walker-Peters and El Hadji Malick Diouf.
The Hammers were swept aside by Manchester City on Saturday afternoon at the Etihad Stadium.
This was the first of potentially seven Premier League matches that Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf may miss, should DR Congo and Senegal reach the latter stages of the African Cup of Nations.
Diouf is the only West Ham United player to record more than one assist in the top-flight this season. He had also started all but one of their first 15 matches. Wan-Bissaka had been pretty much an ever-present himself since coming back from an early-season setback.
Who was YOUR West Ham Man of the Match? ☹️
Tell us who and why in the comments!
Their absence meant Nuno called upon the returning Ollie Scarles and the experienced Kyle Walker-Peters away to Pep Guardiola’s title challengers. His luckless left-back would manage only 64 minutes, though.
Nuno Espirito Santo reacts to Ollie Scarles injury after Manchester City 3-0 West Ham United
On his first appearance since a collarbone injury against Leeds in October, West Ham’s reigning Young Player of the Year was forced off with another injury just past the hour.
Speaking to reporters at full-time, Nuno is praying that Scarles is not kept out of action for another prolonged period.
“I’m worried about how he is now. I’m worried about this [injury] now,” Nuno said. “With the absence of Malick and Aaron, we are going to need Ollie and Kyle to step up and help us.”
Don Hutchison questions Lucas Paqueta and Crysencio Summerville
Scarles was given the runaround by Rayan Cherki during what was only his third start of the league campaign.
Though former Hammer Don Hutchison could not help but feel sorry for Scarles, watching the youngster left isolated and exposed against one of the most unpredictable widemen in the division.
“There is loads of space for Cherki on that right-hand side. Scarles has gone very narrow. He’s obviously been told [to do that] by Nuno,” Hutchison told Premier One Hub, questioning the defensive contributions of Crysencio Summerville and Lucas Paqueta.
“He played against Bukayo Saka [on his Premier League debut for the Hammers] and was arguably the Man of the Match, but he needs help now. Whether it’s from Summerville, Paqueta, or [Mateus] Fernandes, someone has got to get out there and give him a hand.
“They are not closing down, they are not getting tight enough to City. Summerville is very, very narrow when City have the ball.
How do YOU feel now about Nuno’s West Ham reign? 💡
Does he have a point or is he simply deluding himself?
“Something has to happen tactically from the manager at half-time because they are getting completely exposed time and time again.
“When you’re a youngster like Ollie Scarles, you haven’t got the bravery yet to have a go at Paqueta or Summerville and say, ‘Come help me, don’t leave me one-on-one’,” Hutchison feels. “That’s the conversation you have when you’ve got a bit more experience under your belt.”
West Ham do have a more winnable selection of games coming up before the FA Cup third round in January. Fulham will arrive at the London Stadium two days after Christmas. Then Brighton, Wolves and Nottingham Forest.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
