10 changes, Pablo Fornals keeps his place – Predicted West Ham XI v Burnley
West Ham United manager David Moyes will be forced into making changes to his team for the Premier League fixture against Burnley.
The Hammers travel to Turf Moor on Sunday afternoon hoping to achieve back-to-back league wins after beating Chelsea 3-2 last weekend (4 December).
Moyes rested the majority of his regular starters in the 1-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League on Thursday, meaning they should be fresh for the clash against Sean Dyche’s side.
Lukasz Fabianski will return in goal after Alphonse Areola took the gloves in midweek.
There is then a big decision to make in defence. Moyes went with a three-man backline against Chelsea last weekend, but Kurt Zouma went off injured in the second half which meant Declan Rice ended the game alongside Issa Diop and Craig Dawson.
It has been confirmed that Zouma will be out until the new year and with no other senior centre-back options available, Moyes must decide whether to start Rice in defence or just go with Diop and Dawson as a pair.
We think that against weaker opposition he will revert to a back four, allowing him to still get the best out of Rice in midfield.
Ben Johnson also suffered an injury against Chelsea so there will be a change at full-back. Aaron Cresswell is “touch and go” according to Moyes so could slot in, but if he is not quite ready then last week’s matchwinner Arthur Masuaku will start. Vladimir Coufal should keep his place on the right.
Just in front of the defence, Rice will sit alongside Tomas Soucek in what has been a very successful partnership this season.
Pablo Fornals started against Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday but was substituted off at halftime, which suggests he was being saved for Sunday’s match.
We expect the Spaniard to start on the left of midfield, alongside Manuel Lanzini in the middle and Jarrod Bowen on the right, who both netted against Chelsea.
Upfront, Michail Antonio will be looking for his first goal in seven Premier League matches.
Here’s how we expect West Ham to line up against Burnley, with 10 changes being made from the Europa League game against Dinamo Zagreb.
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