"It’s very strange buy if they’re going to utilise him like that" - Liverpool legend aims dig at West Ham over signing Wan-Bissaka after Chelsea loss

Michael Owen has slammed West Ham United for misusing Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the defeat against Chelsea on Saturday, September 21. He claims that the defender is being made to play high up the pitch or central, while he should be a defensive full-back.

On the Premier League productions, Owen said that West Ham should not have signed Wan-Bissaka if this is how they wanted to use a right-back. The Liverpool legend believes that the recruitment was wrong and he said:

"If you're West Ham, if you're the manager, the recruitment officer, whoever you are at West Ham, and you're wanting a full-back to play in this, the last person you go and guy is Wan-Bissaka. Don't get me wrong, I think he's brilliant, he's probably the best right-back in terms of defensively in the country in the Premier League.

"But if you're going to ask somebody to get up wide and high and come inside and play central, I don't know why you'd get Wan-Bissaka. That's not his game – his game is plugging the gaps, he's not letting anything past, he's a brilliant defender, he's not brilliant going forward. Yet they [West Ham] are utilising him in totally the wrong way. It's a very strange buy if they're going to utilise him like that."

Chelsea eased to a 3-0 win at the London Stadium, with Nicolas Jackson scoring two goals in the first half. The striker turned provider in the second half to put Cole Palmer through on goal, and the Englishman made no mistake.

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Former West Ham United striker slams Aaron Wan-Bissaka after Chelsea defeat

Jermain Defoe has also slammed West Ham United for how they are using Aaron Wan-Bissaka. He also claimed that the defender was never in position and always seemed to be running back to get close to the Chelsea forwards.

He said on the Premier League productions:

"Do you know what's interesting, even looking at the goals and you see how much space Nicolas Jackson had, not just him, their forward players to run into, I can't remember seeing Wan-Bissaka play like that ever.

"I can't remember the amount of times I've seen him running back towards his own goal, he's never probably played like that before. I think with him, you speak about one vs one defending, he probably has to stay in his position and probably make it a little bit difficult, but it was weird how high he played, in certain moments he was playing inverted inside."

Chelsea temporarily moved to second after their win but are now fourth in the table after Liverpool and Aston Villa won their matches later on Saturday. The Blues will remain fourth at the end of the game week if Manchester City beat Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion drop points to Nottingham Forest.