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Moyes to make four changes: Predicted West Ham starting XI v Liverpool
West Ham United return to Premier League action on Wednesday night after their chastening FA Cup exit last time out.
Hammers boss David Moyes will have been hoping for a smoother transition back to league football than a clash with leaders Liverpool, but that’s the hand he’s been dealt.
There won’t be many people predicting that the Hammers will get anything from this contest, particularly if they watched them in that dismal effort against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
Moyes will have to judge how many changes to make from that game, and the likely answer is probably around four.
The likes of Fabian Balbuena, Carlos Sanchez, Manuel Lanzini and Sebastien Haller could well miss out, with Issa Diop, Mark Noble, Robert Snodgrass and Michail Antonio potentially coming in.
Lukasz Fabianski appears to be closing in on a first team return, but for now January signing Darren Randolph will almost certainly retain his starting spot.
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At right back, Pablo Zabaleta will surely start with Ryan Fredericks still out, while Aaron Cresswell will most probably continue on the opposite side of the defence.
As mentioned Balbuena could drop out for Diop, with the Frenchman marginally more reliable these days. Either way, one of them will likely partner the perpetually overlooked Angelo Ogbonna.
In central midfield, Noble will almost definitely come back in for Sanchez, who gave us a reminder of why he should never start another game for the Hammers on Saturday. Declan Rice can expect to partner the skipper in the middle of the park.
Snodgrass, like Fabianski, is expected to be back in or around this game. In the case of the Scot, though, he will likely be shoehorned in given Lanzini’s recent poor form. On the opposite flank, Pablo Fornals absolutely has to keep his place.
And up front, Haller will surely miss out after another sub-par outing against the Baggies. Albian Ajeti flashed some quality in that game, and so he will likely partner Antonio in the final third.
In other West Ham news, a former England international has warned that a potential Hammers signing isn’t a game-changer.