West Ham face Newport County in Tuesday night’s EFL Cup fixture. And the Hammers will be hoping to take the momentum from Saturday’s win against Watford into the cup.
Manuel Pellegrini has a dilemma ahead of the midweek game. Does he rotate his squad to keep players fresh and to run the rule over some squad players? Or does he learn his lesson from last season’s FA Cup loss against AFC Wimbledon and take it more seriously?
Pellegrini has already hinted at changes. He told Football London that summer signing Albian Ajeti will play. If he is making changes, then who else should feature alongside the Swiss striker? We take a look at four contenders for starting spots.
Ben Johnson
West Ham are crying out for quality full-backs. Ryan Fredericks and Arthur Masuaku have shown glimpses but have been inconsistent while Aaron Cresswell’s form continues to dip. Meanwhile, Pablo Zabaleta is entering the final stages of his career.
Step forward, Ben Johnson. The 19-year-old became West Ham’s first-ever 2000s-born Premier League player against Manchester City last season. He can operate at right-back or left-back and thoroughly impressed in pre-season so this is his time to shine.
Conor Coventry
Defensive midfield is another position that West Ham are short in. The Hammers failed to bring in a player to compete with Declan Rice, instead opting to keep faith with Carlos Sanchez.
This presents a perfect opportunity to Conor Coventry. The 19-year-old, who represents the Republic of Ireland at U21 level, is a tenacious midfielder who stands out at U23 level. If he can impress against Newport, then there could be a first-team promotion for Coventry this season.
Jack Wilshere
After an exciting pre-season, Jack Wilshere’s form was worrying in the opening two games. Pellegrini dropped him altogether for the Watford game and he will be determined to return a better player.
The sporadic England international is still getting back to full fitness and this is a perfect game for him. Provided he doesn’t get injured, Wilshere can ooze class and show Pellegrini why he should be playing each week.
Nathan Holland
It is about time that Nathan Holland’s excellent form in U23 football was rewarded with a senior appearance. The 21-year-old terrorises defenders in the Premier League 2, providing goals and assists for the Hammers academy.
The ex-Everton winger, who represented England at U19 level, has pace, skill and an eye for goal. This Newport clash is the perfect time to blood Holland into the first-team and check if he is ready. If not, a loan spell could do him good.
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