West Ham United is gearing up to clash with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium this Thursday night, seeking a triumph in the London derby. The Hammers’ recent impressive 2-0 victory over Manchester United should inject them with heaps of confidence ahead of this midweek showdown.
David Moyes is set to deploy his side in a 4-2-3-1 formation and is anticipated to make one alteration to his first-team setup for this encounter. Should Nayef Aguerd recuperate in time, he is poised to earn a starting opportunity in this highly anticipated contest.
The goalkeeping duties are likely to fall to Alphonso Areola, aiming to make an impact following his recent clean sheet. Nayef Aguerd is expected to resume his defensive partnership with Kurt Zouma at the heart of Moyes’ backline, prioritizing defensive stability throughout the game.
On the flanks, Vladimir Coufal and Emerson Palmieri will have the responsibility of showcasing resilient defensive displays at right-back and left-back, respectively, pivotal to West Ham’s aspirations of securing a significant victory in this London derby.
Ben Johnson is anticipated to provide defensive cover from the bench, ready to step in to bolster the defensive positions if required.
James Ward-Prowse and Julian Alvarez are likely to anchor the midfield for the East London club, aiming to disrupt the opposition’s rhythm in the central areas. The trio of Lucas Paqueta, Tomas Soucek, and Mohammed Kudus are expected to feature just ahead of them, contributing to Moyes’ attacking blueprint. A cohesive performance from this midfield trio will be crucial in creating scoring opportunities on the counter.
Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma will be awaiting their chance to impact the game from the bench in the latter stages.
Leading the line, Jarrod Bowen will spearhead West Ham’s attacking maneuvers, eager to exploit openings behind the Arsenal backline throughout the 90 minutes.
Unfortunately, Michail Antonio is unlikely to regain fitness in time for this pivotal clash.
