Three West Ham players who have picked themselves against Arsenal after Everton performance
Nuno Espirito Santo has some difficult decisions to make before facing Arsenal after West Ham secured a draw against Everton.
While it was an important point in the Premier League on 29 September, several areas of the pitch need drastic improvement if the Hammers are to climb the table.
Konstantinos Mavropanos was at fault for Michael Keane’s goal in the 1-1 draw as he failed to stay with his man following a corner.
James Ward-Prowse wasn’t involved in Nuno’s squad after a poor start to the season, and has held conversations with the former Nottingham Forest manager.
Although some positions will be up for debate, these three players simply have to start at the Emirates.
Mateus Fernandes
Mateus Fernandes was impressive against Everton, with the midfield working well with each other.
West Ham’s midfield looked completely different under Nuno than it had done with Graham Potter, with the Hammers previously looking lethargic in the middle of the park.
The Hammers controlled possession against the Toffees, and he will be a no-brainer to start against tough opponents in Arsenal, where they will need to take advantage of limited possession.
Soungoutou Magassa
Soungoutou Magassa looked solid in his full debut for West Ham.
The midfielder took his time to grow into the game, but once he did, he created an instant connection with Fernandes.
| Minutes | Pass accuracy | Long balls (accurate) | Ground duels (won) | Tackles | Dribbles (successful) | Touches |
| 59 | 88% | 3 (2) | 8 (4) | 2 | 1 (1) | 43 |
Magassa was another victim of Potter’s bizarre selections and was restricted to stints coming off the bench under the 50-year-old.
The 21-year-old did well to adapt to the intensity of the Premier League and will be in direct competition with Freddie Potts for a place in the starting eleven.
Max Kilman
Max Kilman has succeeded under Nuno at Wolves before, and his ability to adapt to play under the 51-year-old showed against Everton.
While his centre-back partner Mavropanos struggled to deal with Jack Grealish, Kilman looked back to his best.
The 28-year-old struggled for form under Potter and has been part of a defence that has conceded eight goals from corners and 14 goals in the Premier League so far this season.
Against a physical side like Arsenal, Kilman will be useful, but Mavropanos’ place in the side isn’t guaranteed.
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