SKI SUNDAY!
Keeper faces boss Moyes’ old club today with promise of a new deal
DAVID MOYES has given Lukasz Fabianski the thumbs up – and revealed the West Ham keeper will be rewarded with another season at the club.
The Polish stopper, 37 later this month, signed a one-year extension in March 2021 and has justified that faith with a consistent campaign between the sticks.
With seven clean sheets in 27 league games this term, Fabianski is proving a dependable presence for the Champions League chasers.
And Moyes, acknowledging the significant part the ex-arsenal and Swansea star is playing in the top-four race, confirmed he will be at the London Stadium for another year at least.
Ahead of West Ham’s home showdown today against his struggling old club Everton, the Scot said: “Lukasz has been really good this year.
“And we will be keeping him next year – of course we will!
“He might have more competition next season and he might be a year older, but at the moment he’s doing great.”
Fabianski was labelled errorprone during his time with Arsenal but his mistakes have been few and far between during Moyes’ two-anda-half years in the hot seat second time around. The former Manchester United boss suggests that is down to No.2 keeper Alphonse Areola’s equally excellent displays in the cup games.
That includes the Europa League, which continues this Thursday with the visit of Lyon in the first leg of the quarter-finals.
Moyes went on: “I actually think he has been pushed by Alphonse, who has done really well in the European and cup games.
Consistent
“Because of the age Lukasz is at, we have tried to spare him.
“And I have to say, touch wood, he’s been very, very good in the league and performed consistently well.”
Moyes is equally complimentary about the man his strikers must beat this afternoon – Everton’s England stopper Jordan Pickford (below).
Full of praise for the oftencriticised Goodison Park No.1, Moyes first witnessed his qualities during his time as Sunderland coach.
Moyes went on: “I had Jordan at Sunderland. He was great, absolutely brilliant... and he was only a young boy then.
“I thought ‘my goodness’ because he was so good in training at times.
“It was hard to beat him and, eventually, we put him in the team.
“We’d probably have been relegated much earlier that season if it wasn’t for Jordan.”
Moyes believes those still doubting Pickford on the world stage need to recognise his immense contribution for Gareth Southgate’s troops.
“Quite often he goes under the radar with England. He made several good saves against Switzerland last weekend,” declared the Irons chief.
“What happens is we are waiting on Jordan making a mistake but, the truth is, I don’t think he has let England down in the games that mattered.
“His ball distribution is really impressive. And I think England are really lucky to have him.”