David Moyes looks set to make 10 changes as young West Ham stars get the chance to shine vs Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League.
West Ham have sailed through their Europa League group and into the last 16 knockouts which take place in March.
That means Moyes has the rare luxury of being able to rest key players in the dead rubber against Dinamo.
It comes at a good time as his Hammers squad starts to get stretched by injuries ahead of the busiest phase of the season.
Four players who definitely won’t be involved when the Croatian side come to the London Stadium on Thursday night are Angelo Ogbonna, Kurt Zouma, Ben Johnson and Ryan Fredericks who are all out in the medium to long-term.
So you can bet your bottom dollar neither of them will be involved either in the final Group H game.
Aaron Cresswell has been recovering from a back injury and will not be risked given West Ham’s defensive injury pile-up.
Moyes has admitted several young stars will play in the game. But the Scot is also keen to round off the group in style with a victory.
The Scot will not be risking any more injuries to key players, though, ahead of what is always a tough and bruising game at Burnley this weekend.
To that end we think Craig Dawson and Issa Diop will be wrapped in cotton wool and Moyes will make at least 10 changes – perhaps even 11 – from the side which beat Chelsea 3-2.
Alphonse Areola will replace Lukasz Fabianski in goal.
And the Hammers could field an academy back four with Harrison Ashby at right-back, Jamal Baptiste and Aji Alese at centre-back and Manny Longelo at left-back.
Moyes may elect to play Arthur Masuaku at left-back and bring Longelo in from the bench. Much will depend on how sure West Ham are that Cresswell will be available for Burnley.
Mark Noble and Alex Kral will play in central midfield alongside youngster Dan Chesters.
Moyes makes 10 changes as young West Ham stars get chance to shine vs Zagreb
Then Nikola Vlasic and Andriy Yarmolenko will play further forward behind academy striker Sonny Perkins, who came on for his debut and almost scored in the win at Rapid Wien in the previous Europa game.
Predicted West Ham starting XI to face Dinamo Zagreb:
Areola, Ashby, Baptiste, Alese, Longelo (or Masuaku depending on Cresswell availability for Burnley), Noble, Kral, Chesters, Yarmolenko, Vlasic, Perkins.