David Moyes has his made mind up on the big Mohammed Kudus call as West Ham face Aston Villa in the Premier League.
The Premier League is back – thank goodness – and it is a battle of the claret and blues as West Ham travel to Aston Villa on Sunday evening.
West Ham are not believed to have any injury concerns around key first team players.
But David Moyes is facing one major dilemma for the clash with Aston Villa.
Earlier this week we suggested on Hammers News that the time has come for Mohammed Kudus to come into the starting XI in place of Michail Antonio.
Predicted: David Moyes makes mind up on big Mohammed Kudus call as West Ham face Aston Villa
As we pointed out Unai Emery insists on deploying a high line and more often than not it has worked in Villa’s favour.
West Ham – specialists in counter attacking football – are one of the teams capable of exploiting that high line, though.
But we feel that requires either Jarrod Bowen or Kudus to be played up front.
In his pre-match press conference, Moyes said Kudus is ‘very close’ to making his first start for the Hammers at Villa Park. But he said the same thing before the Newcastle game.
Now Moyes has made his mind up on that big Kudus call as West Ham face Aston Villa.
Will leopard Moyes change his spots?
We predict Moyes will stick with the team which started the 2-2 draw with Newcastle last time out despite Kudus’ brilliant point-saving cameo.
Unless injury or suspension dictates, the Scot is not one to make significant changes when the team is getting positive results.
So we don’t see him starting now despite growing calls from West Ham fans for Kudus to start.
If Moyes does do something out of character and drops Antonio for Kudus he will then have another decision to make.
Either he or Bowen can play up front. So whoever he decides, it will see the other operate off the right.
We don’t see Moyes making any changes to the starting XI from the game against Newcastle.
Predicted West Ham starting XI to face Aston Villa:
Areola, Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson, Soucek, Alvarez, Ward-Prowse, Paqueta, Bowen, Antonio.
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