West Ham United boss David Moyes looks set to make five changes to the side for Saturday’s clash with Burnley.
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The head-to-head record between West Ham and Burnley is pretty even in the history books.
The Hammers just edge it with 37 wins to Burnley’s 35 and 18 draws.
But Burnley have become something of a bogey side for West Ham in recent seasons.
Even record in history books but Burnley have become Hammers bogey side in recent seasons
The Hammers have lost their last three games against Burnley and four of the last five.
Burnley are famed for being solid, hard-working and physical under Sean Dyche.
Indeed the Clarets are very much a litmus test of where Moyes’s side are at after West Ham’s best start to a season for 22 years.
And the Scot looks set to make five changes to the side which started in the FA Cup against Stockport last time out.
Moyes told whufc.com that he would assess Lukasz Fabianski before making a decision on his return to the side.
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But word is the Hammers’s number one is ready to play. So he will come back into the side in place of Darren Randolph.
The importance of that cannot be underestimated. Randolph has been very suspect on crosses and that is one of Burnley’s major strengths. It would certainly be an area Dyche would look to exploit if Randolph did play.
Ben Johnson will drop out of the team with Aaron Cresswell coming back in at left-back.
There have been suggestions that club captain Mark Noble might keep his place against Burnley. But Moyes will bring Tomas Soucek and Pablo Fornals back into midfield in place of Noble and Manuel Lanzini.
And on the right Andriy Yarmolenko – who was hugely disappointing against non league opposition Stockport – will be replaced by Jarrod Bowen.
It means Said Benrahma should keep his place after a hard-working display in West Ham’s last Premier League game, the victory over Everton on New Year’s Day.
Moyes to make five changes as Benrahma keeps his place?
The Algerian will be under pressure to perform if he does, though.
He – like most of the team – was disappointing against Stockport. And he will be facing equally obdurate opposition.
So Moyes and West Ham fans will be looking for Benrahma to help provide the guile to unlock the Clarets defence.
Michail Antonio looks set to keep his place up front with no other striker options available to Moyes.
In terms of back-up, untested young forward Mipo Odubeko will keep his place on the bench – particularly now West Ham can name nine substitutes.
Predicted West Ham starting XI to face Burnley:
Fabianski, Cresswell, Ogbonna, Dawson, Coufal, Rice, Soucek, Fornals, Benrahma, Bowen, Antonio.
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