Mohamadou Kante proved he simply must start for West Ham after what he did vs Brentford
Mohamadou Kante showed he can be a West Ham superstar for years to come after his impressive performance against Brentford in the FA Cup.
Kante was given the nod over Soungoutou Magassa and played 76 minutes of the fifth round tie, with Nuno Espirito Santo‘s side progressing on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
Just three weeks earlier, the 20-year-old delivered a poor display against Burton Albion, having lost countless duels and been overwhelmed by his League One opponents.
However, he quietly put in a much-improved outing on Monday night and did more than enough to stake his claim for regular first-team minutes until the end of the season.
How did Mohamadou Kante play against Brentford?
Kante has impressed for West Ham since joining from Paris FC on a five-year deal, but was made to be patient for his senior bow at the London Stadium.
When it finally came in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United in December 2025, he seized his opportunity with both hands and hasn’t looked back.
Of course, progress for young players is rarely linear, and Kante is certainly still raw.
But against Brentford, he sported a cool head which belied his tender age and delivered a masterclass in defensive diligence, albeit one which went under the radar.
According to Sofascore, he made six defensive contributions, including four tackles from six attempts and two clearances. He also recovered the ball four times.
Despite lacking experience at the top level, he more than held his own against the savvy visitors, winning six of his eight ground duels (75 per cent) and two of three aerial duels.
That is not to suggest that he didn’t excel at both ends, though. Indeed, Kante powered several eye-catching passes through the lines and progressed well with the ball.
He read the game expertly and was deservedly treated to a warm ovation after being withdrawn for Magassa, who appears to have dropped behind him in the pecking order.
Deservedly given a steady 7.1 Sofascore rating, Kante will hope for more minutes against Manchester City when West Ham return to their Premier League survival fight.
Opportunity missed for Soungoutou Magassa
Supporters had clamoured for Magassa to start against Brentford and would have perhaps been disappointed that he was only used as a second-half substitute.
The tie went the distance after four goals were exchanged in the normal 90 minutes, giving the midfielder plenty of time to stamp his authority under the lights.
However, the match appeared to pass him by. While Kante was proactive, Magassa became lost in the scrap in the centre of the pitch and looked visibly nervous.
Nuno must be brutal with his team selections as he looks to keep West Ham in the top-flight, and there is no room for players lacking in confidence and quality.
Magassa’s time will come, but for now, Kante has edged ahead of him, despite being relatively unknown.
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