West Ham United manager Nuno Espirito Santo is facing a major selection dilemma ahead of his side's crucial Premier League encounter with Tottenham Hotspur, with calls growing for him to drop midfielder Soungoutou Magassa following a concerning performance.
A narrow escape at Loftus Road
The pressure on Nuno was partially alleviated on Sunday, 11th January 2026, as his West Ham side narrowly avoided an FA Cup upset against a resilient Queens Park Rangers. The Hammers eventually triumphed 2-1 after extra time, ending a dismal run of 10 matches without a victory under the Portuguese coach.
The match saw Crysencio Summerville open the scoring for the Premier League outfit, only for Richard Kone to head QPR level, forcing the additional 30 minutes. The hero for West Ham was January signing Taty Castellanos, who came off the bench to net his first goal for the club and secure a hard-fought passage to the next round.
Magassa's struggle for composure
Despite the victory, the performance was littered with the same issues that have plagued West Ham's season: a lack of dynamism and individual errors. The player who perhaps embodied these problems most was summer signing Soungoutou Magassa.
The 22-year-old, who joined from Monaco for a fee of £17 million, endured a difficult afternoon. His display was characterised by a lack of confidence and several sloppy moments that gifted possession to the Championship side.
Key incidents highlighted his struggles:
- A careless attempt to control the ball with his chest led to an early turnover.
- An overhit, wayward pass aimed at Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
- Multiple instances where QPR were able to counter-attack following his mistakes.
- A yellow card in the second half for a frustrated challenge.
While Magassa did register the assist for Summerville's goal with a simple pass, and made a notable intervention to win possession high up the pitch in the 61st minute, the overall impression was one of a player struggling to adapt to the pace and pressure.
Why dropping him for Spurs is the 'kind' move
The consensus from observers is that starting Magassa in the intense atmosphere of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next week could be a recipe for disaster. Against a more potent and ruthless Premier League attack, similar lapses in concentration would almost certainly be punished, potentially costing West Ham dearly.
Therefore, the opinion is that resting Magassa is the 'kindest' decision Nuno can make for both the player and the team. It would shield the young midfielder from a potentially damaging experience on a major stage and allow him time to rebuild his confidence away from the spotlight.
Nuno himself has acknowledged the adaptation period required. Speaking about Magassa earlier this season, he said: "Arriving to the Premier League for any player is really difficult to adapt, to show all these things, it takes time. We have a lot of situations like that with players who we need to be patient with but at the same time to recognise their quality and talent is there for us to exploit."
However, with a critical London derby on the horizon, patience may need to be exercised from the bench. The victory over QPR provides a fragile platform; the performance against Tottenham will define whether West Ham's season has truly turned a corner.
