OPINION
West Ham’s 3-0 win over Newcastle United would have brought much delight to nearly everyone in east London and the travelling fans and squad at St James’ Park – but there is one senior star who will have been sweating rather than celebrating.
Javier Hernandez’s brace gave the Hammers a perfect afternoon on Saturday, Felipe Anderson putting the icing on the cake for Manuel Pellegrini and his men in added time, and it was the Mexican’s show stealing performance which will have left Lucas Perez worried about his future.
The summer signing has failed to make any sort of impact at the London Stadium and considering he was left unused by Pellegrini on Tyneside for yet another game he will be wondering how long he can last.
Hernandez has not been on top form either and would have considered himself under pressure prior to his goal scoring exploits but this performance against the Magpies is only digging Perez’s grave – not least because of who the manager has his eyes on.
Fellow summer signing Xande Silva was brought in to bolster the under-23s but his form early in the campaign and more recently – having been sidelined through injury – certainly seem to have captured Pellegrini’s attention, claiming a first team role is just around the corner.
He told football.london: “We are always seeing his games in the U23s. He has the option to work with us and have a spot in the first team squad.”
A spot in the first team squad only comes at the expense of someone else and there are no candidates more in the firing line than Perez.
If Silva can establish himself as a worthwhile back up option then Perez is a pointless drain on resources and such his future at the club looks incredibly bleak without it really having taken off.
He needs a miracle to save himself now – and can thank Hernandez for putting him deeper in the mire.