From David Beckham to Gareth Bale, comparisons with some of the finest widemen in Premier League history are coming thick and fast for one West Ham United star.
And when both Chelsea and Liverpool supporters are united in conjoined jealousy – the two Premier League giants were ‘interested’ before West Ham United completed what is proving to be a bargain of a transfer – you know you’re making quite the impression.
Going into the sixth matchday of the new season, El Hadji Malick Diouf topped the European charts. With three from five starts, no full-back had more assists on the board than him.
The way those statistics are counted, though, meant West Ham’s rampaging left-back would not record a fourth during Monday’s 1-1 draw at Everton.
Diouf’s run and cross were ‘absolutely extraordinary’, to quote Sky Sports co-commentator Andy Hinchcliffe. But the fact Michael Keane got his head to the ball before Jarrod Bowen lashed past Jordan Pickford means the Senegal international is still stuck on three.
Yet, Malick Diouf is still very much on track to become only the third Hammer this century to hit double-figures for assists in a single Premier League campaign. Bowen and Paolo di Canio make up that very exclusive club at present.
A club which, opened up to the whole of the top-flight, also contains such greats as Cesc Fabregas, Kevin de Bruyne, Mo Salah, Thierry Henry, Mesut Ozil, David Beckham and Gareth Bale.
West Ham United’s Malick Diouf likened to Real Madrid icon Gareth Bale
Speaking of a certain Manchester United legend, Tony Cottee was reminded of David Beckham – albeit a left-footed version – when watching Diouf wrap his foot around the ball and whip devastating cross after devastating cross into the opposition’s penalty area during pre-season.
During West Ham’s first ever trip to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, meanwhile, Diouf channelled his inner-Gareth Bale.
He breezed past Jake O’Brien and then left James Tarkowski for dead, thundering down the left while turning defence into attack in the blinking of an eye.
Czech publication Ruik likened Diouf’s rampaging run to Bale’s iconic Copa del Ray goal against Barcelona a decade ago.
O’Brien and Tarkowski presumably knew how the once-great Maicon felt, too, when Bale roasted him alive during that infamous coming-of-age Champions League masterclass during Tottenham vs Inter Milan
“Malick Diouf has made a great leap into the Premier League,” Ruik said, the 20-year-old already only one assist away from matching last season’s tally at Slavia Prague.
“The talented left-back has shone for West Ham since joining from Slavia, becoming one of the mainstays of the team. Against Everton, he contributed to his team’s only goal with a brilliant [run and cross] that was strikingly similar to Gareth Bale’s move against Barcelona.”
Jarrod Bowen and Jamie Carragher laud Diouf’s impact
Both Jarrod Bowen and Niclas Fullkrug described Diouf as something of a striker’s dream during the final throes of the summer.
Bowen has already benefitted from his supreme service twice, while Callum Wilson opened his West Ham account following another trademark Diouf delivery at Nottingham Forest.
“Malick and Cry [Summerville] linked up well all game,” Bowen told the official West Ham website after securing the first point of the Nuno Espirito Santo era. “And Malick showed really good work-rate to get down the flank and put the ball in the box, that needed defending.
“It fell to me, and in that sort of position, I don’t feel like I can be stopped, because I know what I’m going to do before they do.
“My Dad’s got an old saying; ‘The goal never moves, so you just have to get the ball on target’. I don’t know if it took a bit of a deflection but, if you don’t buy a raffle ticket, you don’t win a prize. And it’s come off today.”
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher could barely believe Diouf’s formidable combination of ‘brilliant’ delivery and ‘blistering pace’, meanwhile.
“I thought they were fantastic down the left-hand side.
“Summerville, really energetic, caused problems. Diouf from left-back was absolutely fantastic, for the equalising goal as well.
“The problems he caused O’Brien and Tarkowski down that side… The pace to go past O’Brien, [and] he leaves Tarkowski for a clean pair of heels. A brilliant ball, and it’s just a blistering turn of pace.”
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