Leeds United vs West Ham United
There wouldn’t have been too many West Ham fans who considered Konstantinos Mavropanos a crucial component of the Hammers’ defence.
But following Nuno Espírito Santo’s disaster-class tactics against Brentford last night, it has become clear just how important Dinos really is.
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Let’s not sugar-coat it — Jean-Clair Todibo and Max Kilman were awful at the London Stadium, and when Mavropanos was introduced, it was immediately evident just how much better he was.
Mavropanos has become a key player for West Ham
Unfortunately for West Ham, the player who has unexpectedly become the club’s best and most reliable central defender has suffered a suspected hamstring injury. That means he is highly unlikely to feature against Leeds United at Elland Road on Friday.
Easy pickings for Leeds
Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin must be licking his lips at the prospect of facing a defence that can’t seem to manage even the basics. Daniel Farke will no doubt be preparing his side to put early pressure on a West Ham team that looks incapable of controlling any area of the pitch, never mind the defence.
Leeds might have been on the receiving end of a poor defeat to Burnley last weekend, but they probably couldn’t have picked a better opponent for Friday night’s clash in Yorkshire.
Once again, the Sky Sports cameras will be there to highlight all of the Hammers’ inadequacies. But who would have thought, when West Ham forked out £75 million for Kilman and Todibo, that it would be Mavropanos who’d be missed the most?