Premier League football finally returns to The London Stadium on Monday night, as we welcome David Wagner’s Huddersfield Town to Stratford in desperate need of our first points of the season.
Slaven Bilic is currently having to deal with rumors of his sacking heading into the tie, with our worst start to a season since the last time that we were relegated tainting August.
Whereas, the visitors will be looking to capitalize on a toxic atmosphere in East London to defeat their second cockney opposition of the campaign so far.
When?
The game is scheduled to take place on Monday night (September 11th) with kick-off at 8 PM BST and live coverage provided by Sky Sports on Monday Night Football.
However, if you don’t have a Sky Subscription, you can catch live radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio London.
Alternatively, you can be sure to head over to @MooreThanAClub on Twitter for live updates and reaction during the game from E20.
Where?
The tie is taking place at our 66,000-seater London Stadium, a ground which we only currently have access to 57,000 seats of due to violent clashes during home games with Watford and Chelsea last season.
Since moving to Stratford in summer 2016, we have endured turbulent times as poor form and crowd disturbance has marred the stadium’s reputation.
Monday will be the first time that Bilic’s boys have descended on the 2012 Summer Olympic Stadium this summer after it controversially hosted the 2017 World Athletics Championships throughout August. The encounter will also signify The Terriers’ first visit to Stratford.
Team News
Slaven Bilic wouldn’t have believed his bad luck when Manuel Lanzini and Edimilson Fernandes picked up fresh injuries over the break, as they will both miss out on Monday.
However, we will be boosted by the return of both Andy Carroll and Winston Reid, who are back from hip and hamstring knocks respectively. Marko Arnautovic is still suspended from his red card at St Marys’ Stadium.
For David Wagner, his side is still without Slovakian Jon Gorenc Stankovic and defender Martin Cranie who are both absent with knee problems. Whereas Jonathan Hogg is still missing with an ankle injury, and tall German forward Collin Quaner is set for his Premier League debut.
There also may be a very familiar face in the visitors’ squad, as new signing and ex-Hammer Robert Green joined up with Wagner a few weeks ago. While striker Steve Mounie is surely the man to watch for the opposition.
Form
West Ham United and Huddersfield Town are two sides that have met a fair few times in competitive football with 37 encounters over 78 years.
The Yorkshire club has dominated the tie over history, winning 22 times, being on the losing side a mere 10 times and sharing the points in seven of the meetings.
However, you will have to go back 20 years to find the last time that we faced a Huddersfield Xl and that came in the form of a 3-0 League Cup victory, courtesy of a hat-trick from the great John Hartson.
The Opposition
Huddersfield Town are fairly new to the glitz and glamour of the modern Premier League but there is no doubting that they have taken to it like a duck to water.
David Wagner, a manager of high European pedigree, has guided his side to seven points from a possible nine in this campaign so far, including a memorable 0-3 victory at Selhurst Park on the opening day.
Founded in 1908, the Yorkshire club has a rich history in the English Football League, winning the First Division three consecutive times in the 1920’s with that iconic team.
During that same decade, the club also reached as many as five FA Cup finals but was only victorious on one occasion back in 1922.
However, nowadays, they are well and truly living the dream in the best league in the world, having been a member of the fourth tier no more than 16 years ago.
Who Is Officiating?
Experienced Premier League referee Kevin Friend will be the man in the middle for the meeting, as Ian Hussin and Constantine Hatzidakis assume the roles of his assistants, with the fourth official’s duties falling to the evergreen Mike Dean.
So, with all the essential information for this clash previewed, will Slaven Bilic be able to complete his must-win mission and save his job for another week?
Or, will Wagner inflict yet more woes on an already depleted Hammers squad? In one or the most pivotal home games of our modern history.