West Ham United confirmed XI v Chelsea as David Moyes decides on team
West Ham United manager David Moyes has named his starting line-up for Sunday’s (5 May) Premier League clash against Chelsea.
The Irons head across London to Stamford Bridge following a 2-2 draw with Liverpool last time out, and a win against Chelsea would take West Ham back above the Blues in the Premier League table.
Moyes has gone for consistency by picking the same 11 players who started against Liverpool, as confirmed by the club’s official X account (5 May).
Fit-again Alphonse Areola continues in goal having impressed since returning from a hip injury, and keeps Lukasz Fabianski on the bench for the third successive match.
The rest of the West Ham XI remains the same as against Liverpool, with Kurt Zouma set to lead the side out at Stamford Bridge and Michail Antonio leading the line up front.
David Moyes keeps faith with Antonio after Liverpool equaliser
34-year-old striker Antonio has featured fairly regularly for West Ham this season, but has often been used as a second-half substitute with Jarrod Bowen deputising in the centre-forward role.
After both players scored in the 2-2 draw with Liverpool though, they make up half of a front four which also features the oozing talent of Lucas Paqueta and Mohammed Kudus.
Edson Alvarez and Tomas Soucek will look to keep Chelsea under lock and key from defensive midfield, protecting a back four led by Zouma and also containing Vladimir Coufal, Angelo Ogbonna and Emerson.
The Hammers’ back four could be in for a torrid time dealing with Chelsea’s free-scoring playmaker Cole Palmer, making the decision to start Alvarez and Soucek together, rather than swapping one of the pair out for James Ward-Prowse, a sensible one.
West Ham have really fallen off the pace in their push for European football, failing to win any of their last three games and recently losing back-to-back London derbies against Fulham and Crystal Palace.
Particularly after being thrashed 5-2 at Palace in their last away game, Moyes will be hoping his side can bounce back and produce a response against a in-form Chelsea.
With the same XI which won a deserved point against Liverpool, West Ham fans will be hoping for another strong performance.
In other West Ham news, a switch to the London Stadium could interest Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna this summer.
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