West Ham should give youngster Ben Johnson another opportunity

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West Ham suffered a 2-0 away defeat to Chelsea on Monday night in the Premier League and now have just five games remaining in their season left.

The Hammers were unable to deal with an in-form Eden Hazard, who scored two goals and delivered a top-class performance.

It was a difficult fixture for defender Aaron Cresswell at Stamford Bridge, who was given a torrid time by Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi.

The 29-year-old full-back was also caught completely out of position for Hazard’s second goal and struggled at Stamford Bridge.

Hammers manager Manuel Pellegrini looks short of quality options at left-back going into next season due to Cresswell’s inconsistent displays, while Arthur Masuaku has shown he’s more of a winger than a defender.

With the season drawing to a close, now could be the time for Pellegrini to try a few different options as he looks to build to next year.

West Ham sit 11th in the table and look unlikely to catch up to a potential European spot at seventh, which is why the focus should move elsewhere.

Ben Johnson has been a rarely seen player at the London Stadium this season, as his first-team debut against Manchester City is the only appearances he’s made.

But the 19-year-old left-back showed real promise in that game and the academy graduate should be recalled by the first-team manager.

He usually operates from the right, but impressed on the left against Manchester City and in truth the options at right-back look thin on the ground too.

Johnson signed a new deal back in March that extended his stay until 2022 and it seems the ideal time to blood him in some of the final games.