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West Ham visit Selhurst Park on Saturday to face Crystal Palace and will be hoping for a repeat of their previous meeting – the Hammers ran out 3-2 winners on December – although their chances will be significantly boosted if Manuel Pellegrini makes a simple tactical tweak.
On the chalkboard
There is a feeling of positivity around the London Stadium this season, despite some questionable results – Pellegrini has taken the helm and was backed extensively in the transfer market as he looked to overhaul the mish-mash he inherited from David Moyes.
While a few of the summer signings have failed to make an impact – albeit largely due to injuries – Felipe Anderson has been exceptional in the Premier League and is a threat when given an opportunity to whip in a cross or take a shot on goal.
Playing on the left-flank, the Brazilian has been a standout performer but will surely struggle to produce the goods if he starts in his regular role. He may not like it, but the former Lazio man must be deployed on the right if he wants as much joy as usual.
Avoiding Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Palace right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka has outshone Eagles talisman Wilfried Zaha this season and his battling performances in defence have surely put him on the radar of the big six.
As the noisy Selhurst Park faithful will tell you, wingers hate playing against the former winger; his pace makes him difficult to get away from and, on the rare occasion that he is beaten, a perfectly-time sliding tackle will often see him win the ball back.
Anderson would surely breathe a sigh of relief if he was tasked with attacking down Palace’s left, guarded by Patrick van Aanholt. The Dutchman is a threat going forward but can be caught out in defence – Pellegrini must switch his speedster over to the opposite wing if he wants to get the best from his star man, even if it means the 25-year-old won’t be able to cut inside, as he loves to do.
Who is West Ham’s worst ever signing? Check out the video below for a pretty strong candidate for the dubious honour…
