OPINION
West Ham secured their biggest win since 1983 this week as they demolished League Two side Macclesfield 8-0 in the Carabao Cup.
There were obviously plenty of talking points to take away from that clash, but one of the biggest highlights for the Hammers was the performances of their three debutants.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini decided to blood Grady Diangana, Joe Powell and Conor Coventry during the match, with Diangana starting on the right wing for the Irons.
The 20-year-old academy star took his chance with both hands as he netted twice in a dream debut for his boyhood club, and Pellegrini could not really have asked for much more from the attacker.
His brilliant performance is seen as a result of Pellegrini’s decision to move the Under-23s to Rush Green from Chadwell Heath in an attempt to properly assess their progress and readiness for first-team football.
By all accounts Diangana has been the player who has impressed the Chilean most so far, and his debut is just reward for that.
However, now comes the question over what happens next.
Does Pellegrini drop the 5ft 11in starlet [Transfermarkt] back to the Under-23s, or does he give him a regular squad place in the first-team?
When asked before their match against Manchester United this weekend, Pellegrini said, as quoted by the club’s official website: “I don’t think Grady’s age is a problem. Players must take their chances. I try to analyse the performances, so I will see if he will be included tomorrow.”
If this really is Pellegrini’s stance on the situation, then he must stick to his word and Diangana must be given a place on the bench against the Red Devils at the London Stadium on Saturday.
Last time out in the league against Chelsea he included two full-backs on the bench in Ryan Fredericks and Aaron Cresswell, and with Carlos Sanchez also out with injury, that surely means there is space for Diangana in that squad.
However, if there is no space for Diangana on Saturday, then he must at least be given a chance to become part of the wider first-team squad on a permanent basis, leading to bench and starting spots in the near future.
