Predicted: David Moyes makes seven West Ham changes for Gent as Maxwel Cornet starts and £81m duo return to the side

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David Moyes makes seven West Ham changes for Gent as Maxwel Cornet starts and a £81m duo return to the side.

West Ham are back in Europa Conference League action against Belgian side Gent in the first leg of their quarter-final clash.

After seeing off AEK Larnaca 6-0 on aggregate in the last 16, West Ham are one of the favourites to win the competition having also made the semi-finals of the Europa League last season.

West Ham go into the tie as favourites and off the back of two vital Premier League wins in a week.

The Hammers have the perceived advantage of playing at home in the second leg for this quarter-final.

Lucas Paqueta is back after injury but striker Gianluca Scamacca is definitely out.

So it will be interesting to see how David Moyes plays things with his team selection over in Belgium on Thursday night.

We predict Moyes makes seven West Ham changes for Gent as Maxwel Cornet starts and £81m duo return to the side.

Alphonse Areola will replace Lukasz Fabianski in goal in change number one for the Hammers.

We think Thilo Kehrer or Ben Johnson will come in for Vladimir Coufal at right-back given the Czech has only recently returned from injury and will be needed against Arsenal on Sunday.

After being dropped following a horror show against Newcastle, Nayef Aguerd will replace Angelo Ogbonna in change number three.

Moyes needs one pacy defender to help deal with Gift Orban so we think Kurt Zouma will be kept in the side.

Predicted: David Moyes makes seven West Ham changes for Gent as Maxwel Cornet starts and £81m duo return to the side

Emerson will come back in to replace Aaron Cresswell at left-back in change number four.

In midfield Paqueta and Manuel Lanzini could replace Tomas Soucek and Pablo Fornals with Declan Rice reportedly chomping at the bit to play.

Maxwel Cornet will then make only his second West Ham start as he replaces either Michail Antonio or Danny Ings with the surviving striker playing up top.

Predicted West Ham starting XI to face Gent in quarter-final first leg:

Areola, Kehrer or Johnson, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson, Rice, Paqueta, Lanzini, Cornet, Bowen, Ings or Antonio.

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