EA Sports may have come to Julen Lopetegui’s rescue at West Ham as he faces major dilemma

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West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui facing major selection headaches for the trip to Fulham but EA Sports may have come to the rescue.

Rejoice West Ham fans, the boredom of the international break is at an end, the Premier League is back.

The Hammers head to west London on Saturday afternoon to take on Fulham.

Fulham did the double over West Ham last season, battering them 5-0 in the game at Craven Cottage.

It has been West Ham who emerge victorious from this fixtures more often than not down the years, though.

West Ham and the Cottagers have faced off 109 times in competitive matches since 1898 with the Irons winning 51 of them and Fulham 34.

After a superb summer window – which included keeping top stars such as Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen, Edson Alvarez and Lucas Paqueta – West Ham will be looking to beat Fulham.

Especially as Lopetegui has made it clear he is aiming to compete for the European spots this season.

With West Ham’s new-look squad, competing to get back into Europe is the minimum requirement while playing a better style of football.

But after nine arrivals and 12 departures over the summer, it’s fair to say Julen Lopetegui doesn’t know his best team yet.

EA Sports to Lopetegui’s rescue at West Ham

Lopetegui has six big selection headaches for Fulham.

And the top spokesman at West Ham says Niclas Fullkrug only has a 10 per cent chance of featuring.

Debate has raged over the international break about what West Ham’s starting XI should be for Fulham.

There are so many different opinions and setups – each with their own merits.

One that has proved a popular opinion among many supporters is playing Bowen up front so Kudus can switch to the right and Crysencio Summerville can start on the left.

With Carlos Soler added to the mix now too, Lopetegui has a major selection headache in midfield especially.

He must choose three from Soler, Paqueta, Alvarez, Tomas Soucek and Guido Rodriguez.

It’s no easy task. And whatever he decides to do, the Hammers head coach is going to leave several players upset.

But EA Sports may have come to Lopetegui’s rescue at West Ham as he faces a major dilemma.

Major selection dilemma solved by new EA FC 25 statistics?

EA Sports are the company behind the new FC 25 game – formerly known as FIFA.

The game collates a wealth of data and statistics on players to give them ratings.

A player’s EA rating has become a big deal in the modern era of football.

While that may be like fingers on a chalkboard for fans of a certain vintage, it could now actually give the manager some ideas.

West Ham’s strongest possible starting XI on the new game based on the player ratings has been revealed.

It includes five of the club’s nine summer signings.

But there’s no room for Soucek or – as yet at least – Soler.

It’s a slight variation on the line-up many fans have been championing.

And it shows that switching Kudus to his preferred central role could be the way forward.

Paqueta is on the left and Bowen on the right, either side of Fullkrug down the middle.

Former Club America midfield partners Rodriguez and Alvarez are reunited and Max Kilman is partnered by Jean-Clair Todibo in defence. Wan-Bissaka and Emerson being the full-backs.

West Ham’s strongest team according to those EA stats is as follows: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson, Alvarez, Rodriguez, Kudus, Paqueta, Bowen Fullkrug.

Lopetegui must unlock true potential of new-look squad

Of course if Fullkrug isn’t available for Fulham, Lopetegui will have to play Antonio or use Bowen as the striker.

But this could be the solution to Lopetegui’s big selection dilemma at West Ham.

Whether that team would work in reality remains to be seen.

There is no obvious reason why it shouldn’t, though.

Two ball-playing centre-backs, two midfielders who can do a bit of everything, full-backs who can bomb on with pace.

Kudus running at players centrally knowing he only has to beat one or two before opening up chances to shoot or put a teammate in could be huge.

Paqueta has been poor in the middle and is the one who could make way for Soler eventually if he doesn’t up his game.

He is perhaps better off the left on the evidence of what West Ham have seen so far this season.

Fullkrug is a proper, bona fide top level striker. So it’s a no brainer that he starts there when available.

And captain Bowen – whether it’s as striker or on the right – is one of the first names on the teamsheet.

It’s highly unlikely Lopetegui takes much notice of EA rankings. But his son Daniel – a football analyst now working for West Ham – will be well aware of them.