Six changes as Rice benched – Confirmed West Ham XI vs Chelsea
West Ham have made six changes to their starting line up for the away game with Chelsea as David Moyes opts for a heavily rotated team in the Premier League.
Moyes has switched to a five-at-the-back formation for the game in west London with Vladimir Coufal, Arthur Masuaku, Mark Noble, Said Benrahma, Pablo Fornals and Andriy Yarmolenko getting the nod.
Ben Johnson, Craig Dawson and Aaron Cresswell look likely to start as the centre-backs with Issa Diop and Kurt Zouma injured, with Declan Rice on the bench.
Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio are named on the bench too, as Moyes goes for a heavily rotated side ahead of the Europa League clash in midweek against Frankfurt.
Confirmed West Ham XI v Chelsea: Fabianski; Johnson, Dawson, Cresswell; Coufal, Noble, Soucek, Masuaku; Fornals, Yarmolenko, Benrahma.
Priority?
The Hammers have got a huge game against Eintracht Frankfurt in midweek and because of that clash, Moyes has opted to go with a rotated team.
Injuries to Kurt Zouma and Issa Diop most recently mean the manager had a big decision to make at centre-back but with Aji Alese featuring for the Under-23’s on Friday night he was never likely to start today.
Noble comes in to add experience to the midfield with Rice forced to move back into defence in a huge blow for the side.
Ultimately though, this is a chance for Moyes to get the players back into a rhythm before midweek and build some momentum after just one win in their last four games – against Lyon in France.
It’s also a chance to do the double over Chelsea this season, and with the Blues having lost each of their last three games at Stamford Bridge there is a big opportunity to do so.
In other West Ham news, Paul Merson makes West Ham Europa League prediction
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