Premier League pundit Matt Holland has slammed West Ham defender Konstantinos Mavropanos after a ‘couple of mistakes’ at home to Manchester United on Saturday.
The 26-year-old enjoyed his 14th appearance in claret-and-blue this weekend as West Ham welcomed Manchester United to London Stadium. It also marked Mavropanos’ 12th start in all competitions so far this season. But it was only his third over five Premier League outings.
Hammers coach David Moyes has seldom trusted Mavropanos to hold a key role in his plans. But the Scot chose the Greece enforcer to come in for Nayef Aguerd as the 27-year-old was missing again. Aguerd had to miss the Irons’ Carabao Cup defeat at Liverpool with an illness.
West Ham’s Konstantinos Mavropanos slammed for his ‘mistakes’ vs Manchester United
Mavropanos had only started Premier League games against Brentford and Crystal Palace so far this season before West Ham hosted Manchester United. He also featured off the bench against Sheffield United and Fulham. Nine of his starts have come in their cup competitions.
Aguerd’s continued absence forced Moyes to trust Mavropanos on Saturday, though. But he struggled to justify his rare start at home to Manchester United. The Red Devils forced a few errors from the Athens native that the Irons were happy Erik ten Hag’s men failed to punish.
Mavropanos particularly failed to impress Premier League pundit Holland in the 39th minute as Alejandro Garnacho failed to put Manchester United ahead at West Ham. The 19-year-old relished the centre-half’s mistake but could not pick out Scott McTominay with a deep cross.
“Man Utd’s best moments are coming down West Ham’s right,” Holland told Premier League Productions (23/12, 13:12). “[A] couple of times Mavropanos has made a mistake, [he’s] on the stretch [and] can’t get there.
“A much more difficult chance for Garnacho. He’s actually looking for McTominay, who’s arriving at the far post.”
Konstantinos Mavropanos may have wasted his rare chance to impress David Moyes
Mavropanos losing possession cheaply to Garnacho may have cost West Ham any chance to beat Manchester United. But the Argentine let the centre-half off the hook. It was still a key moment that Mavropanos would have wanted to avoid during a rare top-flight start, though.
Given it was also not Mavropanos’ first mistake of the afternoon, as Holland alludes, Moyes may now be longing even more for Aguerd’s return. West Ham’s festive fixture list does not get much easier with the Hammers’ trip to title-chasing Arsenal to follow on Thursday night.
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