West Ham man would solve Liverpool’s home-grown deficiency
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Liverpool are being linked with a move for West Ham’s Aaron Cresswell, with the 26-year-old’s performances this season showing why he would be a worthy addition.
The left-back has been a near-constant in a side that have kept 15 clean sheets across all competitions this season, but is also dangerous when going forward.
Cresswell has scored twice in the Premier League this season and provided four assists, with his strike against Leicester City earlier this month proving he has the ability to find the net in spectacular fashion.
Bringing the English defender to Anfield would also help Jurgen Klopp address an imbalance in his squad.
Liverpool’s 4-0 win against Everton in the Merseyside derby was surely a great moment for anyone clad in red, but it also brought something they would be less than proud of to attention.
The Toffees started with two locals in that match, Leighton Baines and Ross Barkley, while the victors had no Liverpudlians in their starting 11 or even on the bench.
This lack of Scousers is not traditional for the Reds, with the departure of Steven Gerrard meaning both meetings this term saw them fail to play a single hometown player.
The Europa League semi-finalists normally pride themselves on their local lads, with the likes of Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Robbie Fowler becoming popular figures in the Kop.
Thus, bringing in the Liverpool-born full back would solve this lack of local starters, especially as he wouldn’t find it too difficult to get into the team.
The current West Ham man’s competition for a place would be Alberto Moreno, with no one else around Anfield truly pushing the Spaniard for a starting position.
Moreno has played 29 Premier League games this season and has defensive stats comparable to Cresswell.
The former Sevilla man averages more top-flight tackles per game than his counterpart, 2.9 compared to the Englishman’s one, they make the same amount of interceptions (two), while the West Ham defender makes more clearances and blocks.
However, it is going forward where Moreno falls behind, with his one goal and two assists showing why Cresswell would get the nod ahead of him.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
