West Ham United left-back Aaron Cresswell could return to action against Sheffield United on 26 October, according to claims made by football.london.
West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini also appeared to confirm that Creswell may be fully fit by saying: “Compared with last weekend, Aaron Cresswell worked the whole week without any problems.”
After picking up a minor muscle problem on 5 October, Cresswell missed the visit to Everton after the club confirmed the small issue before kick-off. West Ham went on to lose 2-0, in a game that 6ft 2in striker Sebastien Haller had only 44 touches, which is three less than goalkeeper Roberto Jiménez [Whoscored], and perhaps, missed the Englishman’s contribution more than others.
Indeed, the 29-year-old defender has shown his prowess going forward, scoring two goals in four league games.
What does this mean for the squad?
The biggest loser with Cresswell returning could be left-back Arthur Masuaku. The 25-year-old defender had a poor game against Everton last time out, as he was dispossessed three times, won just one aerial duel and made only two tackles [Whoscored].
However, with the Englishman’s experience and ability to play in the midfield, another poor performer from the trip to Goodison Park last weekend, Felipe Anderson, could also see himself out of the starting line-up.
The Brazilian, like Masuaku, had a below-par game against the Toffees, as he was caught being sloppy in possession after being dispossessed three times as well. The South American attacker also offered very little going forward as he failed to register a single shot and completed just two dribbles [Whoscored].
TIF Tactics – How do Cresswell and Arthur Masuaku compare?
Defensively, according to the stats, Masuaku edges Cresswell in every area, except in terms of conceding fouls. The Democratic of Congo international has committed an average of 1.2 fouls per game, whereas the Englishman has committed just 0.5 in one less appearance.
However, it’s likely that Cresswell’s threat going forward, and the possibility of playing as a more attack-minded full-back, might just allow him to slot straight back in the squad.
As mentioned, the Hammers appear to have missed the 29-year-old’s inventiveness going forward, as although the head-to-head is in favour of Masuaku, the Congolese defender is far too easily dispossessed with an average of 2.4 turnovers per game (unsuccessful touches and dispossession’s combined) [Whoscored].