Lopetegui must drop £20m defender who was “completely outplayed” to rescue his West Ham tenure

Julen Lopetegui’s position as West Ham United manager is under intense scrutiny following a humiliating 5-0 loss to Liverpool at the London Stadium on Sunday, December 29.

The Hammers’ defensive performance was disastrous, raising questions about the form of Konstantinos Mavropanos, who may face the axe after his subpar display.

Luis Díaz opened the scoring in the 30th minute when a deflection off Mavropanos allowed the Colombian to capitalize and fire Liverpool ahead.

Ten minutes later, Mavropanos was completely outmaneuvered as Mohamed Salah nutmegged him in the box, setting up Cody Gakpo for Liverpool’s second goal.

Salah then added a brilliant goal of his own in the 44th minute, capping an excellent first half for the Reds and a miserable one for the Greek defender.

Mavropanos struggled throughout as West Ham’s backline crumbled against Liverpool’s relentless attack.

The second half brought no respite for Lopetegui’s men.

Trent Alexander-Arnold scored a stunning long-range goal in the 54th minute, while Diogo Jota added the fifth in the 83rd minute.

This marked West Ham’s eighth loss in 19 league games, leaving them in a precarious position and intensifying the pressure on their Spanish coach.

Time for a Change in Defence?

Mavropanos, signed for £20 million, endured a nightmare performance against Liverpool.

The 27-year-old managed to win three of six ground duels and displayed aerial prowess, but his ground game was woeful.

Liverpool’s attacking trio of Salah, Díaz, and Gakpo gave him and Max Kilman no breathing room, exposing the frailty of West Ham’s defense.

Lopetegui’s tenure has begun on a disappointing note, with some of his decisions raising eyebrows.

Jean-Clair Todibo, brought in on loan from OGC Nice, has yet to start a game despite the team’s defensive struggles.

With Mavropanos floundering, Todibo could be a viable option to inject stability into a backline that has conceded 35 goals in the league.

Mavropanos’ performance against Liverpool could compel Lopetegui to make changes, particularly given the Greek defender’s alarming first-half display.

If the Hammers hope to turn their season around, dropping Mavropanos and giving Todibo a chance might be a necessary step.