Micah Richards and Gary Lineker have lavished praise on Aaron Wan-Bissaka after the former Manchester United defender delivered a stellar performance in West Ham’s 1-1 draw against Aston Villa on Sunday.
The Irons salvaged a point thanks to Emerson Palmieri’s late header, which cancelled out Jacob Ramsey’s early opener.
While Graham Potter has managed just one victory in his first four games as West Ham’s boss, the team has shown clear signs of improvement under his leadership.
Wan-Bissaka, who joined West Ham last summer for £15 million after five seasons at Old Trafford, was one of the standout performers at Villa Park.
Despite struggling initially, the right-back has turned his form around, with Lineker hailing his display as “brilliant.”
Richards echoed this sentiment during The Rest is Football podcast:
“Wan-Bissaka was absolutely outstanding. His energy, work-rate, recovery runs, tackles, and even his delivery were exceptional. It’s fantastic to see him performing at this level.”
Richards also highlighted Tomas Soucek’s crucial role in the match, praising the midfielder’s relentless effort:
“Soucek was superb as well. His energy and movement allowed the likes of Lucas Paquetá to shine.
Together, Wan-Bissaka and Soucek brought the energy West Ham needed to dominate key moments in the game.”
Wan-Bissaka’s journey has been eventful since his £50 million move to Manchester United in 2019 after a breakout season with Crystal Palace.
Known for his defensive prowess but criticized for his attacking contribution, he fell out of favor under Erik ten Hag and was replaced by Noussair Mazraoui.
However, his recent resurgence at West Ham has raised questions about whether he could have solved some of Manchester United’s ongoing issues with wing-back play under their new coach Ruben Amorim.
Richards also praised West Ham’s tactical execution:
“They defended and broke out at the perfect times. Tactically, it was a well-executed performance, especially in a tough away game.”
While West Ham gears up for a challenging encounter with Chelsea next Monday, Manchester United narrowly defeated Fulham 1-0, thanks to Lisandro Martinez’s late deflected goal. United now shifts focus to their Europa League clash against FCSB on Thursday.
Wan-Bissaka’s revival under Graham Potter is a testament to his resilience, proving that with the right environment and support, a player’s potential can truly shine.