David Moyes will ditch his two up top experiment as he makes one big West Ham change for the clash with Arsenal.
West Ham fans were as surprised as anyone when David Moyes played two strikers up front together in the win over Fulham last time out in the Premier League.
The Hammers defended manfully and won the game 1-0. But it would be a stretch to suggest the experiment of playing Danny Ings alongside Michail Antonio worked.
West Ham had even less possession than they usually do as a result of giving up an extra body in midfield as they had just 23% of the ball.
There is simply no way Moyes will try it again when league leaders Arsenal roll up to the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
We predict Moyes ditches two up top as he makes one big West Ham change for Arsenal.
The Scot will stick with the back five which kept a clean sheet against Fulham in their last Prem match.
And the only change will see Ings dropped with Brazil midfielder Lucas Paqueta coming back into the side from the start.
That means Antonio will be starting up front with Pablo Fornals keeping his starting spot, playing out on the left.
If that is the case it will frustrate many Hammers fans who feel the Spaniard if better centrally.
But his workrate for the team is vital – especially against a side such as the Gunners – and Moyes has said he is now turning to players he can trust for the run-in, hence Fornals’ return to the starting line-up last weekend.
Paqueta looked sharp when he came on against Gent in midweek – as did Antonio.
So let’s hope we see a continuation of that when the duo line-up from the start against Arsenal.
West Ham will move up to 14th place with an unlikely win.
Predicted West Ham starting XI to face Arsenal:
Fabianski, Coufal, Zouma, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Rice, Soucek, Paqueta, Fornals, Bowen, Antonio.
MORE WEST HAM NEWS
West Ham on brink of 1 million for Arsenal as astonishing figures revealed.
Now two from five for the drop as West Ham’s survival rivals pile on pressure.
Honest Downes is latest West Ham star to deliver damning dig at Moyes.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
