View: West Ham predicted XI vs Sevilla
West Ham manager David Moyes has some big decisions to make on injuries ahead of the Europa League second leg clash with Sevilla on Thursday.
The Hammers host the La Liga outfit at the London Stadium after a 1-0 defeat in the first leg last week, knowing they must win and overturn the deficit to qualify for the quarter-finals.
But despite a hugely encouraging performance in the win over Aston Villa on Sunday, they suffered blows when Michail Antonio and Aaron Cresswell were substituted with injuries. Now Moyes must decide whether or not to take the risk.
In goal, Alphonse Areola got the nod in the first leg but with such major implications in this game, Lukasz Fabianski may get selected.
Moyes has made it clear that the Polish international is the number one and in a must-win scenario, he will likely go with his trusted first-choice.
In defence, there aren’t many options. Ben Johnson has impressed at full-back in the absence of Vladimir Coufal and should continue on the right while Kurt Zouma and Craig Dawson have established themselves as the first-choice centre-backs.
Despite Cresswell’s injury, the Hammers believe he will be ready to go on Thursday and Moyes has always been a manager to take risks if he feels they’re necessary so he will start if he’s able to.
In midfield, it’s a no brainer for the boss to go with Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek at the heart of his team, while Manuel Lanzini will continue in his central role to help them out at both ends of the pitch.
Pablo Fornals got back on the scoresheet against Villa and will continue from the right-wing ahead of Nikola Vlasic, who is expected to be available again after missing the weekend fixture.
Said Benrahma secured an assist for Andriy Yarmolenko’s emotional strike, but the Ukrainian is likely to return to the bench for the game.
Despite limping off with a thigh injury the Hammers are confident that Antonio will be available and that means, like Cresswell, Moyes will take the risk – especially with Jarrod Bowen out injured.
Predicted West Ham XI: Fabianski; Johnson, Zouma, Dawson, Cresswell; Rice, Soucek; Fornals, Lanzini, Benrahma; Antonio
In other West Ham news, Stuart Pearce shares injury latest on key West Ham duo ahead of clash v Sevilla