West Ham confirmed starting XI for Europa League clash v Lyon
West Ham have confirmed their starting XI for their Europa League quarter-final first-leg clash this evening [April 7] against Lyon.
The Irons will be looking to use their home advantage at the London Stadium with one eye on next weeks’ encounter in France.
Confirmed prior to kick off on Twitter, David Moyes decided to back Jarrod Bowen for the second game running after injury and drop Lukasz Fabianski to the bench in place for Alphonse Areola.
Must win.
Wow. West Ham are in a European quarter-final – who would have ever thought they would be where they are now under Moyes having been in a relegation scrap under the Scot just a few years ago.
This has been one of the biggest turnarounds in football in recent years and every single last member of that Irons squad deserves it.
There have been a lot of suggestions that the Hammers have already done their hard work after knocking out one of the favourites and the most successful team in the competition’s history but that is nonsense.
These players need to treat this game as even more important than the last round because the pressure and expectation rise with each step, they take closer to the trophy.
Moyes’ side should be able to navigate their way past Lyon in a much easier fashion than they did Sevilla though.
They have all of their key men – in particular Jarrod Bowen – back and firing and have the luxury of the first leg being at home where they can hopefully take a convincing lead for the return leg next week.
With the Premier League route looking blocked, this is the Hammers’ last shot at achieving Champions League football next season.
In other West Ham news, the Irons are eyeing a move for England international Jordan Pickford.
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