West Ham unsung hero holds key to Nuno Espirito Santo turnaround, he was excellent vs Newcastle
Nuno Espirito Santo finally secured his first win as West Ham boss when his side beat Newcastle United 3-1 on Sunday.
The Portuguese had gone four games without a win in the Premier League since his appointment at the end of September, but the Hammers quickly put their struggles behind them with an impressive display this weekend.
Lucas Paqueta was superb for West Ham, as he drew them level with a stinging strike from the edge of the box in the 35th minute.
A Sven Botman own goal put the hosts ahead on the stroke of half-time, before Tomas Soucek capped off a promising afternoon in stoppage time.
It was a hugely encouraging showing from Nuno’s men, and while the likes of Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen have received plenty of plaudits, another star showed his importance yet again.
El Hadji Malick Diouf is vital to West Ham survival fight
El Hadji Malick Diouf has looked promising for West Ham in the early stages of the season, and he has certainly caught the eye since his summer move from Slavia Prague.
The left-back is pacy and has a tireless work rate, but it is his stunning delivery from the left flank that is undoubtedly his biggest appeal.
The Senegal international already has three assists in the Premier League so far this season, and while he wasn’t directly involved in any of the goals on Sunday, he was the heartbeat behind the Hammers’ victory.
| Stats | Diouf Total | Game Rank |
| Touches | 63 | 5th |
| Accurate Passes | 26/35 (74%) | 11th |
| Successful Dribbles | 3/3 (100%) | 1st |
| Tackles | 6 | 1st |
| Duels Won | 10/12 (83%) | 1st |
Diouf completed more dribbles than any other player, with three throughout the 90 minutes, while he was also unmatched when it came to tackles and duels won.
He was found wanting with his defending for Josh Murphy’s early opener for the visitors, but that was very much the outlier in what was an otherwise excellent display.
The likes of Paqueta, Bowen and Mateus Fernandes may have produced the eye-catching moments for the E20 outfit in the final third, but Diouf was certainly the unsung hero of the win.
El Hadji Malick Diouf can start every game for Nuno
Diouf has made a big impact for West Ham since his £19million move in the summer, and it’s fair to say that he holds the key to their fortunes moving forward.
The London Stadium outfit may even be able to escape a serious survival fight if Nuno can ensure that their performance level against Newcastle is sustained, and his left-back will be crucial to that.
Diouf has started every single league game so far this season, and has only been brought off once, but he simply never shows any signs of fatigure or tiredness.
Barring a major injury concern, the 20-year-old looks likely to be able to turn out in every single game for Nuno, and that reliability will be invaluable for him moving forward.
Diouf was outshone by some of his teammates in Sunday’s win, but the boss will be under no illusions as to his importance for the remainder of the season.
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