West Ham United: Lucas Paqueta ‘irreplaceable’ at London Stadium amid injury update
West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta is “irreplaceable” at the London Stadium, according to pundit Adrian Clarke.
The verdict comes as the midfielder closes in on a return from injury, having missed the last six Premier League matches.
Clarke believes Paqueta has been “sorely missed” by manager David Moyes, who could have the Brazilian back for the clash with Brentford on Monday (26 February).
“West Ham are yet to win this season without Paqueta in the starting XI, and they score an average one goal fewer per match when he is missing,” Clarke wrote for the official Premier League website (25 February). “He is irreplaceable to West Ham, who are nowhere near as dangerous when he is unavailable.”
West Ham badly need Lucas Paqueta back in action
The Hammers have had a horrendous start to 2024, with a long list of poor results seeing them slip down the Premier League table and get knocked out of the FA Cup.
They now have the chance to put things right when Brentford visit the London Stadium on Monday, with the hosts potentially having Paqueta back in the side.
Whether he will be fit enough for the starting XI remains to be seen after a lengthy injury layoff, with a starting role on the substitute bench perhaps the smarter option for Moyes.
However, the man in the dugout may be forced into taking a risk on his Brazilian ace as he seeks a much-needed three points, with no room for error anymore given the pressure on his shoulders.
The Bees will be more than up for the task, with Thomas Frank’s side also desperate for points as they look to climb the Premier League table.
The West London outfit currently occupy 15th place with 25 points to their name, with the East London club in 10th with 36 points.
In other West Ham news, Arsenal star Declan Rice has reacted to Said Benrahma after what happened at Lyon.
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