Lopetegui could axe West Ham star Emerson vs Southamptonby Max Fletcher26 December 2024. West Ham United will return to Premier League action on Thursday, as they take on Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium. The Hammers have improved since back-to-back losses to Arsenal and Leicester City.
West Ham triumphed over Wolverhampton Wanderers before securing draws against Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion, registering five points from three games. Recent results have eased the pressure on manager Julen Lopetegui, but his position at the London Stadium is far from secure.
The Spaniard will need to put together a consistent run of good results to ensure his long-term future at the club.
The Irons have a perfect opportunity to seal maximum points on Thursday, as Southampton are sitting rock bottom of the Premier League table. Lopetegui could axe Emerson after an underwhelming display. Emerson has been a key member of the first-team this season, featuring in 16 top-flight matches and scoring a goal.
The 30-year-old was suspended for the Bournemouth game and returned to the team against Brighton at the weekend.
But he delivered a below-par performance and was taken off in the second-half. Emerson had 41 touches and lost the ball on seven occasions. He completed two of his five crosses and also committed a foul.
Lopetegui could decide to bring Vladimir Coufal, who had a solid outing against Bournemouth but was dropped last weekend. The Czech Republic international completed 100% of his dribbles and won 10 of his 12 duels against the Cherries.
Coufal, who joined the Irons for £5 million in 2020, has started just four top-flight games. But he could feature at right-back in Thursday’s away encounter, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka playing on the Opposite flank.
