By Conor Hogan
For the first time in years, West Ham’s squad finally has youth on its side.
The Irons’ average age has dropped sharply since last season. The team that faced Liverpool on Sunday averaged 26, compared with 28.5 in the final match of last season.
Although the side — younger even than Arne Slot’s — fell to an out-of-form Liverpool in a flat 2–0 defeat, several young players impressed for Nuno Espírito Santo.
Freddie Potts and Mateus Fernandes, 22 and 21, stood out for their ball recovery and intelligent movement. Fernandes looked especially impressive after shifting from the left wing into his natural central-midfield role.
Soungoutou Magassa, also 22, delivered a solid display, breaking up play with well-timed challenges — though the officials didn’t always agree — and showing composure in possession. His habit of slowing the tempo, however, disrupted West Ham’s attacking flow at times.
Luis Guilherme again produced a polarising 25-minute cameo. The Brazilian teenager’s dribbling impressed in the final third, but his end product — including a poor late pass to a well-positioned Callum Wilson — showed why he didn’t start.
El Hadji Malick Diouf, 20, struggled at left-back against Dominik Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz, and his cautious use of the ball reduced West Ham’s attacking threat.
The Senegal international has dipped since his excellent performances against Nottingham Forest and Everton, looking more exposed defensively and less impactful going forward. The absence of Crysencio Summerville hasn’t helped.
Defending has never been Diouf’s strongest asset; one-on-one he often looks vulnerable, as seen against Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka in October. He resembles a wing-back or winger more than a natural full-back.
Still, these are young players. This fresher West Ham side brings far more energy than previous iterations, but cohesion will take time. Diouf, Magassa, and the rest have real potential — supporters simply need to stay patient and let them develop.
