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Snodgrass surely undroppable after Leicester display

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OPINION

West Ham United’s 2-2 draw with Leicester City on Saturday will have been frustrating for everyone of a Hammers persuasion, but there won’t have been many people more disappointed than midfielder Robert Snodgrass.

The Scotsman put everything into the game at the London Stadium after being handed a start by manager Manuel Pellegrini, having been in and out of the side all season. He turned heads with a supreme performance and must be considered hugely unlucky not to be on the winning side.

Harvey Barnes scored a stoppage time equaliser to deny West Ham three well-deserved points after Michail Antonio and Lucas Perez had twice put them ahead either side of a classic Jamie Vardy goal.

Snodgrass, despite the draw, was tremendous. He remains a polarising figure in east London, but his importance to the team was demonstrated yet again here. He hustled and harried all the time he was on the pitch and was a part of much of what was good about this Hammers display.

With most of the players on the pitch stuck in a late-season malaise, it fell to people like Snodgrass and Antonio to try and provide a bit of impetus. That they did in the first half, clearly separating themselves as their team’s two best players.

It’s clear at this point that West Ham simply function better when Snodgrass plays. He brings balance to the midfield through his work rate and underrated technical ability.

It would be criminal, at this point, if either he or Antonio were dropped for the Hammers’ next game. They both did enough on Saturday to suggest they’re set for long stays in Pellegrini’s team.

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