Credit: Imago

James Barker

Sun 19 April 2026 19:10, UK

El Hadji Malick Diouf will be tested against one of the Premier League’s best wing-backs in Daniel Munoz when West Ham United take on Crystal Palace.

The 21-year-old Diouf has enjoyed a highly impressive debut season for West Ham, having joined from Slavia Prague last summer.

With five assists to his name from 26 Premier League appearances so far this term, Diouf looks to have all the potential to develop into a top-class left-sided player in the years to come.

However, given his tender age, he’s by no means the finished article yet, but the player he’s set to line up against on Monday night certainly is.

Munoz is one of the top flight’s best wing-backs, and he’s sure to provide Diouf with one of his biggest all-round tests when West Ham play Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

El Hadji Malick Diouf has his work cut out against Daniel Munoz

Diouf is fast-becoming a top Premier League player, but Munoz has already firmly established himself as one of those now.

Aged 29, the Colombian international has played 36 times for Palace in all competitions this season, with three goals and two assists from 22 league appearances.

The right wing-back is one of the best in his position, and despite plenty of his strengths lying in the attacking side of the game, he’s also a very accomplished defender too.

As per Sofascore, he’s made not a single error leading to an opposition shot or goal this season, whilst also giving away zero penalties and winning an average of 2.6 tackles per game.

Diouf, meanwhile, has made two errors leading to shots, zero to goals and has conceded one penalty this season, whilst also winning an average of only 1.3 tackles per game.

So, the Palace star is going to provide a brilliant yardstick for where Diouf is in his development, both in attack and defence.

West Ham’s highly-talented young left-back will need to show intelligence in terms of knowing when to go forward and when to stay, as Munoz can take advantage of both over and under-aggression in attack.

Diouf can show his true potential against Munoz

Many left-sided defenders have tried and failed to bottle up Munoz this season, as even when he’s not getting a goal contribution, the South American is routinely winning his individual battles.

Every West Ham fan can see just how much potential Diouf has in attack, but what hasn’t been as obvious so far is just how far he could go as a defender.

If he were to keep Munoz quiet in that regard on Monday night, then he will have gone a long way to answering that question, as to do so, it’s going to take a top performance from the Senegalese international.

Munoz is a very good example of the type of player Diouf could go on to become in the future, and Monday’s game might just show us all how far a long he is in that regard.