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‘Fair play to him’: Craig Dawson says he’s been very impressed by his West Ham teammate in training
Craig Dawson has revealed how impressive his West Ham teammate Issa Diop is in training.
The Frenchman has fallen down the pecking order under David Moyes, especially after the summer acquisition of Kurt Zouma from Chelsea.
Diop was thrust into the starting line-up against Leicester less than an hour before kick-off after Zouma was taken ill. And the 25-year-old hardly put a foot wrong. He provided the assist for Jarrod Bowen’s opener ten minutes in and was solid at the back alongside Dawson, who scored a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw.
Speaking to the Dawson said: “It was difficult for him to come in so late with little warning.’
‘Fair play to him because he’s been working hard on the training pitch and he’s been excellent in training.’
‘Issa is very quiet but we’ve started to hear him on the pitch which is good.’
‘He’s got an opportunity and he did very well.”
Dawson and Diop are typically West Ham’s second choice centre-back pairing – behind Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna. However, due to defensive injuries, the duo has featured more frequently in the Premier League.
Prior to losing Zouma and Ogbonna to injury, the bulk of Dawson and Diop’s appearances came in cup competitions. They have enjoyed a number of successful performances together. This includes keeping a clean sheet at Old Trafford and at home against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup.
They also started four of West Ham’s six Europa League group games together. During which they kept three clean sheets as the Hammers progressed to the knock-out stages.
The pair are creating a solid partnership at the back of a Hammers defence still competing in two competitions. Not to mention the East London side’s battle for a place in the top four.