OPINION
West Ham United left-back Arthur Masuaku will surely be sweating after seeing Aaron Cresswell’s assured performance against Southampton on Thursday.
The two players have been battling it out for the left-back all season, with boss Manuel Pellegrini fleeting between the two defenders on and off for a while now.
However, Masuaku must get used to life on the bench for the forseeable future, as Cresswell was mightily impressive against the Saints, staking his claim for further inclusion.
Masuaku has shown in his 17 appearances in all competitions this season that he is not up to scratch, proving that he is a defensive liability who is just an accident waiting to happen.
This makes Pellegrini’s choice a lot easier from now on, as choosing Cresswell is pretty much a no-brainer following a series of horror shows from his teammate.
The manager chose to opt for Cresswell rather than the 5ft 11in [Transfermarkt] player on Thursday, and there is no doubting that he wowed the fans and proved himself to be the club’s best left-back at the moment.
The 29-year-old was incredibly solid defensively, and there was hardly a time where he was caught out by the Southampton attack, sticking to his position and the job he is required to do.
This performance is a far cry from what Masuaku is capable of, so he will obviously be sweating over his first team future.
There is no reason why Cresswell cannot be one of the first names on the teamsheet from now on – Pellegrini and the fans no doubt saw how improved the side are with him in the starting XI.
What’s more, Cresswell is bound to have fresher legs after only making 10 appearances this season, meaning he has the energy to perform at his best.
Either way, Masuaku will be seriously sweating buckets from now on – as Cresswell certainly turned heads with his display against Southampton.