What is going on?’ – Pundit surprised with behind-scenes player friction with Moyes at West Ham United: New David Moyes friction with Danny Ings mooted
Frank McAvennie admits he was left baffled by David Moyes’ decision to axe Danny Ings as West Ham suffered a 3-0 defeat to Manchester United.
Having come out on top in their previous two games against the Red Devils, West Ham missed the chance to record a famous third successive triumph, something they had not previously achieved since the mid-1970s.
The result saw Manchester United leapfrog West Ham into sixth spot and build on the momentum in the race for the Champions League places in the Premier League.
And it was another game in which Moyes made the decision to start Ings from the bench despite impressive cameos during a period where it looked like he may have followed Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals out the London Stadium exit door.
Speaking to West Ham Zone, McAvennie said: “What is going on between them two?
“He put in some man-of-the-match displays recently and Moyes is still benching which I found quite baffling.
“Something’s got to be brewing behind-the-scenes in all honesty, because it looked like he could have left in the January window.
“It would have been nice to see him start at Old Trafford with Jarrod Bowen coming off the right wing and Mohammed Kudus on the left. We could have performed better.
“But, I don’t know what Moyes was thinking with that line-up and it cost us.“
Moyes has to swallow pride and start Ings from now on
What has been glaringly obvious from the Hammers’ last two Premier League games is the need for a specialist focal point up front.
Bowen has enjoyed the role to terrific effect in recent weeks but it is clear he may be growing tired of it given he’s on the ball less and less if he plays up there.
With Michail Antonio still out of action at the London Stadium, Moyes still needs to have a specialist striker on the pitch and there’s no better candidate than Ings to take the role.
The former Southampton may not be raining goals right now but his terrific hold-up play and work off the ball is the spark West Ham need to pick up results again but it seems Moyes is hell-bent on leaving him out.
It may be as a result of some friction between the pair given all that’s gone on in Ings’ West Ham career but if the Hammers are to achieve some improvement in the coming weeks, Moyes must swallow his pride and start him while Antonio is still out of action.
In other West Ham news, a profit and sustainability situation emerged in one Premier League club’s pursuit of a Hammers player.
