Sam Inkersole has claimed that West Ham United defender Ryan Fredericks can help keep Newcastle United forward Miguel Almiron quiet on Saturday afternoon.
The Football.London journalist admitted that he would replace Pablo Zabaleta by bringing Fredericks back into the starting 11 after he missed the 1-1 draw against Sheffield United last time out.
Inkersole claims that Fredericks is much better equipped to help combat the Paraguayan international’s skill, who Steve Bruce will task with the role to support Joelinton in the final third at the London Stadium.
“We have brought back Ryan Fredericks into the four-man defence in place of Zabaleta, mainly to combat the pace and guile of Newcastle attacker Miguel Almiron, who will be tasked with supporting lone striker Joelinton,” he wrote on the Football.London website.
The South American duo have only been involved in a single goal for the Magpies this season so far, and have struggled to find the back of the net consistently.
OPINION
Given the early season struggles of Newcastle in the final third, many West Ham fans will be expecting a convincing victory to help get their season back on track, and see them looking up the Premier League again instead of down. One of the Magpies main threat going forward is the pace of the Almiron which allows him to get behind defences looking to latch onto a long ball over the top – something that worked numerous times in their 1-1 draw against Wolves on Sunday. The pace of Fredericks gives the Hammers bucket loads of pace both in defence and attack, and his reintroduction into Pellegrini’s side would help blunt the threat of Almiron moving forward, and therefore make it even more of a struggle for their opponents to create chances in East London when they meet on Saturday. Fredricks was unlucky to lose his spot against Sheffield United, and he would be fully deserving of another chance to cement his place in the Hammers’ defence.
