David Moyes makes two big West Ham changes for Newcastle after dropping a ruthless hint amid duo’s struggles.
West Ham welcome Newcastle United to the London Stadium for yet another huge Premier League clash on Wednesday night.
The Hammers and Magpies need the points for very different reasons indeed.
West Ham are looking to build on Sunday’s vital win over Southampton as they bid to avoid relegation.
Third-placed Newcastle meanwhile need to keep up the pace as they aim to secure Champions League football.
There will be some good friends going head-to-head at the London Stadium.
Brazilian best mates Lucas Paqueta and Bruno Guimaraes will come face to face in the midfield battle.
And strikers Michail Antonio and Callum Wilson – who are close mates – are both fit and available for the match.
There has been a lot of talk at West Ham about the ineffectiveness of Danny Ings in the system David Moyes plays, especially after the narrow win over Southampton.
Predicted: David Moyes makes two big West Ham changes for Newcastle after dropping ruthless hint amid duo’s struggles
With Gianluca Scamacca injured, it has been debated in West Ham circles whether Moyes should bring Antonio back into the side or even play him and Ings together.
Tomas Soucek also struggled against Southampton and was substituted in the second half.
Speaking ahead of the game Moyes has talked up the fact he can afford to be ruthless in his selection and make changes if certain players ‘aren’t coming up with the goods’.
We predict Moyes makes two big West Ham changes for Newcastle after dropping the ruthless hint amid duo’s struggles.
After saying he felt something didn’t look right with Vladimir Coufal in training it seems Thilo Kehrer will continue at right-back.
We think Moyes – if he is going to be true to his word and show the courage of his convictions – will bring Flynn Downes in for Soucek in change number one.
And up front, Antonio will come in for Ings.
There have been whispers Antonio could play on the left instead of Said Benrahma so that he can get up and support Ings.
Moyes did discuss that possibility pre-match. But it would be a real departure from his usual approach. If he didn’t do it against the worst team in the league then why would he suddenly try it against the third best?
Predicted West Ham starting XI to face Newcastle:
Fabianski, Kehrer, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson, Rice, Downes, Paqueta, Benrahma, Bowen, Antonio.
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