West Ham sensation ‘in line for debut’ v Brentford after what Graham Potter said
Oliver Scarles and Lewis Orford are two of the newest recruits to the West Ham ranks in recent weeks.
Graham Potter has not shied away from trusting some of the younger prospects at the London Stadium in an attempt to provide a mix of experience and excitement all over the pitch.
Jarrod Bowen’s return from injury has certainly helped with some of that excitement, returning with a bang against Chelsea last time out, but it was not enough to secure a positive result away from home.
And while the Hammers’ winter transfer window was nothing to shout about, there is one new figure who can make an instant impact after arriving on loan earlier this month.
Evan Ferguson ready for West Ham debut
Joining from fellow Premier League outfit Brighton, Evan Ferguson has joined the ranks and will be eager to make an immediate impact for his former manager.
Having worked under Potter during their time together at the Amex Stadium, the Hammers boss will trust the 20-year-old to deliver the goods when taking on Brentford on Saturday 15 February.
While he has just two league starts to his name this term, Ferguson is more than talented enough to slot right into the starting XI alongside the likes of Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Paqueta and Bowen.
With Michail Antonio and Niclas Fullkrug both sidelined long-term, Potter has been crying out for a dominant force through the middle, giving Ferguson the perfect opportunity to earn his debut.
Graham Potter in desperate need of devastating striker
Speaking to the media, Potter said: “He’s trained well. He hasn’t played loads of football recently, so we have to be careful with that. He’s shown his quality and is ready to help the team.
“We feel he’ll just get better and better. Evan coming in will give us another option, and he’ll bring his own quality. He’s a good finisher and can link up play well.”
While it could be a risk throwing Ferguson straight into his action, his appearance in the final third could be the difference between a negative or positive result against the Bees.
Head-to-head history would suggest a multi-goal thriller at the London Stadium, and given the Republic of Ireland international’s poaching abilities, he would love to be in the striker position.
Chris Sutton has already hit out at any predictions of a “boring” clash between the two sides and three points for the Hammers would take them within just one point of their opponents.