Mohammed Kudus’ outstanding performances for the the Black Stars during the international break have presented David Moyes with a challenging decision regarding team selection.
It’s quite likely that the Hammers’ manager had already settled on his starting eleven for the Premier League match against Manchester City.
I am reasonably certain that Kudus would not have been part of the starting lineup, especially considering Tomas Soucek’s impressive displays for the Czech Republic. Moyes highly values Soucek’s contributions to the team and needs little persuasion to include him.
Initially, I anticipated a midfield trio consisting of Soucek, Ward Prowse, and Edson Alvarez for Saturday’s game. This would have required moving Lucas Paqueta to the left-wing position, potentially resulting in Said Benrahma being omitted.
Assuming (quite confidently, I believe) that Michail Antonio and Jarrod Bowen are guaranteed starters, where does this leave Kudus? The £35 million signing from Ajax is a genuine threat and enjoys a strong reputation within the football world. Furthermore, he scored in both of Ghana’s matches during the international break, aiding his country in securing qualification for the African Cup of Nations.
Moyes is certainly aware of the positive scouting reports on Kudus, and one can presume that the player has made a strong impression during training sessions.
As the clash against Pep Guardiola’s team approaches, Moyes has some intriguing selection decisions to contemplate. While I still anticipate Kudus making his full debut in the Europa League, it appears that the decision will be a very close one.
