OPINION
When you look at the impact that West Ham’s summer signings have had on the first team there is a huge discrepancy between some of the new faces in east London.
There is little doubting that goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski and attacking maestro Felipe Anderson have been the stand out performers from the club’s summer spending, while the likes of Lucas Perez and Andy Yarmolenko – the latter cruelly struck down by injury – taking their time to get going.
In fact, the fans would be well within their rights to question just what Perez has done for the team in his eight appearances, with his only goals coming in the League Cup clashes against Macclesfield – hardly a test of his talents – and a weakened Tottenham side.
Now Perez has been a mainstay for Manuel Pellegrini this season, missing from just four match day squads for their Premier League games and so might expect that a man with no impact on the first team this season is no threat to him.
How wrong he would be.
The man in particular is fellow summer arrival Xande Silva, a 21-year-old forward who was dazzling at under-23 level early in the season and pushing for a first team role.
However, he was another to succumb to injury – a common feature at the London Stadium this season – and as such has not been able to push on and impress Pellegrini – until now.
Football.London claim that the youngster, who was said to be on the verge of making his senior bow before his setback, is to make his comeback from injury in the Premier League 2 clash against Blackburn Rovers on Monday evening – an exciting piece of news for the Irons.
If he can hit the ground running and make a good impression after his comeback, then he will go straight back into having a potential first team role – with Perez undoubtedly the man in the firing line.
The former Arsenal man is on thin ice as it is, having failed to have any serious impact this season, and having Silva circling for his senior place just puts him under added pressure.
Having played alongside Grady Diangana in the under-23s, the winger finding himself promoted to the senior side, Silva will be desperate to follow in his footsteps – and Perez must be wary of the chop from here on out.