We predict David Moyes will make two West Ham United changes for Brighton after a big Edson Alvarez decision.
West Ham travel to Brighton for the Saturday evening game looking to end a ridiculous hoodoo against the Seagulls.
West Ham have never beaten Brighton in the Premier League, winning six and drawing six of their 12 previous meetings.
Indeed the Hammers simply do not enjoy playing Brighton in the top flight full stop, Premier League or otherwise.
West Ham have won just once in 16 top-flight clashes with Brighton – drawing seven and losing eight. That came thanks to a 2-1 home victory in March 1983.
Can Hammers end ridiculous Brighton hoodoo?
David Moyes was asked about the Brighton curse ahead of the game and said he hopes he and his players can end the dismal run.
It will be no easy task against a Brighton side bristling with confidence having started the season where they left off last term under the enigmatic Roberto De Zerbi.
Brighton will be without star Julio Enciso after he suffered a knee injury in training this week.
West Ham will be without central defender Nayef Aguerd after his red card last weekend. And new signing Konstantinos Mavropanos arrived carrying a back injury and is not likely to feature until after the international break according to Moyes.
Predicted: David Moyes makes two West Ham changes for Brighton after big Edson Alvarez decision
They say never change a winning team but Moyes A) has no choice this week and B) is facing a Brighton team away from home who ask the same sort of questions of you as a Man City or Arsenal.
We predict Moyes makes two West Ham changes for Brighton after a big Edson Alvarez decision.
New signing James Ward-Prowse impressed on his Hammers debut with two assists in the 3-1 win over Chelsea.
But Mexican midfield destroyer Alvarez caught the eye just as much when he came on to help close out the win.
Ogbonna and Fornals to come into starting XI at Amex?
Fans are intrigued to see what Moyes eventually settles on as his starting XI – especially when Mohammed Kudus comes aboard.
It looks like Alvarez could ultimately succeed Tomas Soucek to play alongside Ward-Prowse and Lucas Paqueta. But we think Moyes will hold off giving the former Ajax star his first start at Brighton.
The first change is enforced and should see veteran Angelo Ogbonna come in for Aguerd.
The second change we believe Moyes is considering is to bring in Pablo Fornals – who was unlucky not to start against Chelsea – for Said Benrahma.
West Ham will have to do a lot of dogged defensive work off the ball at the Amex. And on the rare occasions the Hammers do get possession they need to make good use of it. So we think Fornals will come in for that very reason as he is superior to Benrahma in both of those crucial aspects.
Predicted West Ham starting XI to face Brighton:
Areola, Coufal, Zouma, Ogbonna, Emerson, Soucek, Paqueta, Ward-Prowse, Fornals, Bowen, Antonio.