Journalist shares ‘surely has to start’ opinion about Mohammed Kudus ahead of Liverpool v West Ham
Mohammed Kudus “surely has to start” versus Liverpool after impressing on his first West Ham outing in the starting XI for the Hammers, according to Evening Standard journalist Dom Smith.
The Ghana international had not featured from the start since making the move from Ajax for around £38million (Sky Sports) on 28 August.
The exciting 23-year-old attacking midfielder was on target having been handed a starting berth as David Moyes’ side had to fight back to beat Backa Topola 3-1 in their Europa League opener on Thursday (21 September), though.
A significantly more difficult challenge awaits West Ham when they visit Anfield on Sunday (24 September) but Smith thinks Kudus has to be utilised from the beginning.
“As West Ham’s third European campaign in as many years got under way, David Moyes trusted Kudus as a right-winger. On a night that went far from routinely for the hosts, Kudus’s tireless runs and poacher’s instinct proved the difference,” Smith wrote.
“Serbian minnows Backa Topola offered a more limited test than Liverpool will on Sunday, but there were clear signs that Kudus’s raw ability is transferable. He surely has to start at Anfield.”
A no-brainer
West Ham fans were probably getting a little impatient at the lack of action their big-name summer signing had seen in the early stages of the 2023-24 campaign under David Moyes.
But, in the manager’s defence, there had also been an international break not long after he made the move to the London Stadium so there was always going to be an element of patience required.
Serbian outfit Topola gave West Ham plenty to think about before Kudus and the Hammers finally figured out a way to get their third straight European campaign up and running with a win.
Liverpool have 13 points from a possible 15 in the Premier League this season, and the Hammers face another daunting task having fallen short against Manchester City in their last domestic outing.
There is no doubt, though, that Kudus is a player who will give Jurgen Klopp’s men a problem to solve. Smith is right, he has to start.
in other West Ham news, Moyes has shared an injury update on left-back Aaron Cresswell.