West Ham United boss David Moyes looks set to make one change to the side for Everton and is pondering another.
Moyes went out of his way to speak to star he has given a hard time – insider
The Hammers take on Carlo Ancelotti’s Toffees knowing a win will give them a fantastic chance of Champions League football next season.
Victory will put West Ham just two points behind Leicester with three games to play.
West Ham know Everton win will give them a big chance of making Champions League
And the Hammers have a much more favourable run-in – on paper at least.
West Ham must focus on the job in hand, though, and that is beating Everton at the London Stadium.
Everton go into the game off the back of a defeat to Aston Villa while West Ham were scintillating in the victory over Burnley on Monday night.
They say never change a winning team.
But Moyes looks set to break that rule by making one change to the side that started at Turf Moor.
Moyes to make one change to starting XI as Ogbonna returns
Angelo Ogbonna is back fit and has trained all week after missing the Burnley game.
And he will come back into the starting XI in place of Issa Diop, who was perhaps the only player to emerge from the last game with question marks over his place.
That is not the only change Moyes might be pondering, though. The Scot told whufc.com he will make a decision today on Declan Rice’s inclusion for Everton.
And if passed fit Moyes will make a second change which will upset one of West Ham’s star men from the win at Burnley.
Hammers boss ponders second change if Rice returns that could upset star man from Burnley win
Both Manuel Lanzini – in that deeper role – and Said Benrahma were brilliant in the victory.
But if Rice comes back into the side it would likely be in place of Lanzini.
One game does not make a season but Lanzini was so impressive he could be forgiven for believing he deserves to keep his place.
If Rice is ruled IN then West Ham will make two changes. If not it will be just the one.
Moyes may even elect to ease Rice back by keeping him on the bench and seeing how the game develops first.
Below are two predicted starting XIs based on those scenarios.
Predicted West Ham starting XI with Rice back:
Fabianski, Coufal, Dawson, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Soucek, Rice, Fornals, Benrahma, Lingard, Antonio.
Predicted West Ham starting XI without Rice:
Fabianski, Coufal, Dawson, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Soucek, Lanzini, Fornals, Benrahma, Lingard, Antonio.
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