The left back problem comes back to haunt us

With Arthur Masuaku ruled out of Sunday’s game against Manchester United, a rare chance may be looming for forgotten Hammer Aaron Cresswell…or is it?

With no appeal available for two yellow cards, this is one game Arthur will have to sit out and the manager has to decide whether one of the last survivors of the Allardyce era will get his opportunity .

He has been used just twice this season – in the opening match against City and at Newport County and,  to be brutally honest, was less than ordinary in both games.

So Pellegrini has to make a choice: Does he go with a player who may have seen all his yesterdays or decide on a young man who could be tomorrow’s Hammers world?

Johnson of course is stronger on the right side but has done nothing wrong when appearing on the left either at Manchester City at the Etithad last season or in pre-season  when he was getting particularly decent reviews.

I think – despite hoping otherwise – that on this occasion the boss will go back to Cresswell and a big clue on his thinking will be seen on Friday night when Johnson’s absence from the Under 23 squad would probably speak volumes for a possible involvement on Sunday.