David Moyes must axe Said Benrahma when West Ham United host Burnley on Saturday, after an issue-strewn FA Cup showing from the Algerian at Stockport County on Monday night.

Benrahma was given a rare start at Edgeley Park but struggled to find a grove to get going on the left-flank, with his decision making often poor and end product frequently lacking despite regularly seeing the ball played to his feet.

The match had started with much promise for the 25-year-old as he connected well with Manuel Lanzini against the Irons’ National League opposition, yet faded from the frontline the more the game progressed to begin holding West Ham back more than he helped.

Ultimately, Benrahma was fortunate not to see his number shown and be hauled off before second-half stoppage-time in what was only his fourth start in 10 appearances, as the six-cap international’s wait for a maiden Hammers goal continued.

Stockport were largely pegged back into their own half during Monday night’s encounter, which saw the Brentford loanee, who West Ham are obliged to buy for £20m in the summer, miss the target with each of his three shots, per SofaScore.

The closest Benrahma come to finding the back of Ben Hinchcliffe’s net came in the sixth minute when his effort clipped the outside of the post after Declan Rice did supremely well to dig out a cross, only for things to fall apart thereafter.

Mark Noble’s rolled pass midway through the first period sat up perfectly for Benrahma to shoot, yet his attempt sailed well wide of the mark much like his hit 15 minutes from time when Hinchcliffe’s shanked clearance fell straight at the forward staring at an unguarded goal.

Too often he was pushed off the ball without so much as a fight, just days after The Guardian’s Jacob Steinberg claimed Benrahma “needs to toughen up” after being shoved into the shadows during West Ham’s 1-0 win at Everton on New Year’s Day.

Not only did he miss the target with each of his three shots at Stockport, but Benrahma also misplaced each of his two crosses, offered no key balls from 39 accurate passes, made no dribbles, turned over possession 10 times and lost three of his five ground duels.

Moyes has only just begun to back Benrahma after initially being hesitant to trust the summer signing, but must axe the winger at Burnley on Saturday or risk seeing more of the same from a player who will soon be void of all confidence thanks to his current efforts.

AND in other news, West Ham risk signing another Sebastien Haller with a £25m January raid for a 6ft potential target...