David Moyes looks set to make seven West Ham changes for Man United after a big goalkeeper decision in our predicted team.
West Ham head to Old Trafford to take on a Manchester United side more like their old selves in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday night.
Man United boss Erik ten Hag rejected suggestions he would allow his players to celebrate their Carabao Cup win on Sunday by insisting his focus had already turned to a “big game against West Ham”.
Red Devils duo Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw also made it clear they and their Man United teammates were fully focused on the West Ham clash despite lifting a first trophy in five years at the weekend.
Moyes has Danny Ings missing as he is cup-tied while Vladimir Coufal and number one goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski are both out through injury.
It is the injury to Fabianski which will be giving Moyes the biggest headache right now.
As reported by Hammers News last night, West Ham boss Moyes is facing a major dilemma over his goalkeeping situation following the fractured eye socket sustained by Fabianski in the win over Forest.
In normal circumstances, Areola would have played against Man United anyway as he has been West Ham’s cup and European goalkeeper.
Fabianski could be out for some time with his injury, which Moyes has confirmed could require surgery. An operation would undoubtedly end the 37-year-old’s season.
So Areola – who himself suffered a hamstring injury recently – would surely need to be protected for crucial Premier League and European games?
Having sold third choice goalkeeper Darren Randolph to Bournemouth last month, Moyes only has untested young duo Krisztián Hegyi and Joseph Anang as back-up.
Notably both youngsters were on the bench for West Ham’s recent 1-1 draws with Newcastle and Chelsea when Areola was missing.
Anang is the elder of the two young ‘keepers but is still only 22. Hungarian Hegyi is just 20.
In a way giving someone like Anang some experience in this cup game could be a wise move in case he is called upon in the league or Europe should anything happen to Areola.
But we think the manager will risk going with Areola against Man United.
Moyes makes seven West Ham changes for Man United after his big goalkeeper decision.
That’s how we see it in our predicted team as the sides prepare to meet for a place in the quarter-finals. Although it’s a tough one to call this week given the huge importance of our Premier League matches and the two-legged European clash on the horizon.
Areola will replace Fabianski from the start in the first of seven changes to the side which started the 4-0 win over Forest.
Ben Johnson will move across to right back in place of the injured Coufal while Emerson comes in at left back as the Czech’s replacement on the teamsheet for change number two.
We can’t see Kurt Zouma being risked from the start so expect Nayef Aguerd or Angelo Ogbonna to keep their place with Thilo Kehrer coming in alongside one of them in West Ham change number three.
Manuel Lanzini and Flynn Downes will replace Tomas Soucek and Declan Rice in changes four and five.
Key man Jarrod Bowen will be rested after putting in an enormous shift during West Ham’s win over Forest. He will be replaced by Pablo Fornals in change number six.
Michail Antonio will start in place of Ings up front in the final change.
Don’t be surprised to see Moyes give minutes to Gianluca Scamacca and Maxwel Cornet at some stage too.
Predicted West Ham starting XI to face Man United in FA Cup fifth round:
Areola, Johnson, Kehrer, Aguerd or Ogbonna, Emerson, Lanzini, Downes, Paqueta, Fornals, Benrahma, Antonio.