West Ham face the daunting task of Premier League champions Man City and Julen Lopetegui will be adjusting accordingly.
Manchester City rock up to the London Stadium on Saturday evening and that usually means only one thing for West Ham.
A penalty shootout win after a 0-0 draw in the League Cup represents West Ham’s solitary victory over Manchester City for nine long years.
In fact the Hammers have only won three games against Man City since 2006.
New West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui has been charged with transforming the way the team plays.
Under David Moyes, West Ham fans knew what to expect from fixtures like this.
The Scot would put on the lowest of low blocks for fear of a hammering against Pep Guardiola’s stellar outfit.
Understandably so. If there are two games every season where such tactics are justified, then it is against Manchester City.
It was the fact Moyes set up with a risk averse approach for most other matches which proved irksome and ultimately his undoing among West Ham fans.
Lopetegui makes six West Ham changes for Man City?
There are glimpses that Lopetegui is slowly changing the style at West Ham.
More possession and passes have been a feature of his first three competitive games – which have resulted in a defeat to Villa and wins over Palace and Bournemouth.
West Ham have ridden their luck in all three of those matches.
And they will be afforded no such luxuries against ruthless Man City.
Lopetegui has described the side his compatriot Guardiola has put together as one of the best in the history of football never mind Europe or the world
So logic follows that he may set up accordingly.
Observers have noted that Lopetegui may want to transition West Ham to play a wingback formation in time.
The Spaniard has already made it clear he wants to have the flexibility to switch to that formation from game to game and even in-game.
We predict Lopetegui makes six West Ham changes and a formation switch for Man City after a big Jean-Clair Todibo call.
Lopetegui could switch formation after big Todibo call
The signing of French centre-back Todibo is one that has seriously excited Hammers fans and impressed journalists and pundits.
He looked understandably rusty on his first start in midweek.
And there has been much debate about who will start in central defence between him and Konstantinos Mavropanos against Man City.
We think the answer might be both.
Alphonse Areola will return in goal in place of Lukasz Fabianski in change number one from the side which started against Bournemouth.
Lopetegui may choose today to switch to that three centre-back formation – but more likely a 3421 setup rather than 352.
That will mean Todibo, Mavropanos and Max Kilman at the back.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who played a major role in thwarting Man City as Man United won the FA Cup final in May, will start his first Premier League game for the Hammers at right wingback.
Full Premier League debuts for new West Ham trio?
Emerson comes in at left wingback in place of Vladimir Coufal in change two.
Mavropanos replaces Tomas Soucek in change three.
James Ward-Prowse has left and will be replaced by Lucas Paqueta in change four.
Guido Rodriguez will come back in for Edson Alvarez – who Lopetegui has suggested is not quite ready to play a full 90 minutes – in change number five.
Mohammed Kudus will return to the starting line-up in place of Crysencio Summerville in change number six and may be the man to play behind Niclas Fullkrug up front.
Chances will be limited against Man City so we think Lopetegui opts to give the big German his first Premier League start.
If this is the way Lopetegui decides to go it will mean three full Premier League debuts for West Ham against Man City.
Predicted West Ham starting XI to face Man City:
Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson, Rodriguez, Paqueta, Bowen, Kudus, Fullkrug.
The best news for West Ham on deadline day came from Man City.
Ahead of the game Guardiola raved about ‘incredible’ West Ham and their summer business.
The official team news will be announced at 4.15pm ahead of the clash, which is live on Sky Sports.
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