Key midfielder to miss three of West Ham’s next four games after fresh ban.
West Ham United have been hit with a new ban, which will keep crucial midfielder Edson Alvarez out for three of the next four games across all competitions.
The Mexican defensive midfielder has been an important part of David Moyes’ system since arriving at the London Stadium last summer, but he is poised to miss key games in the season’s final stretch.
Alvarez received his eleventh yellow card in the Premier League during a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa over the weekend, resulting in a two-game domestic suspension.
The 26-year-old was also booked in midweek’s 5-0 hammering of Freiburg, with many Hammers blaming Moyes for not removing him with the tie already won.
That yellow card also resulted in a one-game European suspension, effectively shutting him out of three of West Ham’s next four games across all competitions.
Alvarez will miss critical Premier League games against Newcastle United and arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur during the international break, which could determine their prospects of qualifying for the Europa League.
“El Machin” will return to the squad for the following trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers, but will be suspended for the first leg of the quarter-final against Bayer Leverkusen.
Alvarez’s absence will surely affect the Hammers.
Alvarez has been a key member of the starting lineup since his arrival. He has appeared in 25 Premier League games, scoring once and assisting once, but his defensive statistics have been critical to the Hammers’ success.
He has dominated ground duels, winning 54% of them while averaging 1.2 interceptions, 2.6 tackles, 2.5 clearances, and 5.5 ball recoveries.
Alvarez’s 70% dribbling success rate makes him press-resistant and crucial in West Ham’s build-up play, and his deft feet will be missed in the coming games.
However, his absence could provide yet another opportunity for the struggling Kalvin Phillips to salvage his terrible loan spell in East London, having failed to impress since coming.
