Alphonse Areola will play key role in Man City vs West Ham after new Premier League reveal
Alphonse Areola will be a busy man during West Ham’s trip to Manchester City on Saturday.
West Ham go into the weekend sitting 18th in the Premier League table, and they face an almighty task if they want to avoid being in the relegation zone over Christmas.
Pep Guardiola’s side have won their last five games, including impressive away wins over Real Madrid and Crystal Palace in that time.
Man City have scored 38 goals in the league, and Areola will have to be sharp throughout the match, although that is something he has become accustomed to this season.
Alphonse Areola tops Premier League stat for West Ham
West Ham are embroiled in a relegation battle, and this has boiled down to their defensive issues, which have been brutally exposed.
At the start of the season, Mads Hermansen’s arrival from Leicester spelt trouble for the French goalkeeper’s first-team minutes.
However, due to the Dane’s poor performances, Areola has been given another chance by Nuno, and he is seizing it brilliantly.
According to FotMob, Areola has recorded 3.8 saves per match, more than any other player in the Premier League.
| Appearances | 12 |
| Saves | 46 |
| Save percentage | 68.7% |
| Assists | 1 |
Areola’s phenomenal performance against Bournemouth on 22 November left supporters praising his return to the team, and he impressed again in West Ham’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool – albeit in conceding twice.
What this suggests is that while he is performing well, the Hammers need to do a far better job of closing down shots ahead of him.
With Man City up next, Areola will certainly have a large say in how the match pans out, but he needs help from his defenders too.
Erling Haaland’s record against West Ham is scary
Erling Haaland has been clinical against most teams he’s faced, although the Hammers have been a different proposition.
The Norwegian goal machine has nine goals in six appearances against Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
Only against Wolves (10) does he have a more prolific Premier League record, and this certainly doesn’t bode well for West Ham’s chances on Saturday.
The last time they won at the Etihad was in 2015, and a lot of factors would need to fall into place if they want to end their 10-year winless streak.
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