West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic has handed starts to a host of promising Academy prospects in tonight’s Betway Cup clash with Werder Bremen.
Bilic has picked no fewer than six players aged 21 or under for the Hammers’ third pre-season fixture, which will kick-off in the German town of Schneverdingen at 5.30pm BST. For full details of how to follow the action live, click here.
Adrian starts in goal, with a back four of Sam Byram, Reece Burke, James Collins and Aaron Cresswell.
Eighteen-year-old Declan Rice anchors the midfielder behind captain Mark Noble and fellow Academy of Football graduate Josh Cullen, with the exciting Nathan Holland and Moses Makasi supporting centre forward Toni Martinez.
The substitutes, who are expected to be introduced after 60 minutes and to start Saturday afternoon’s second Betway Cup fixture with Werder Bremen in Lohne include summer signings Joe Hart and Marko Arnautovic, both of whom will make their debuts.
Pablo Zabaleta and Arthur Masuaku will replace the full-backs, while Jose Fonte and Angelo Ogbonna are set to come in at the heart of the defence.
Further forward, Pedro Obiang and Edimilson Fernandes will be introduced in midfield, with Robert Snodgrass, Arnautovic and Andre Ayew set to appear in the four forward positions.
Slaven Bilic will be without Manuel Lanzini, who has a minor knee injury which is being monitored, and Sofiane Feghouli, who has returned for England to receive treatment for a hamstring problem.
Three other absentees, Winston Reid, Diafra Sakho and Chicharito, are all working their way back to full fitness.
Michail Antonio (hamstring) and Andy Carroll (hip) are continuing their own rehab work at Rush Green.
West Ham United: Adrian, Byram, Burke, Collins, Cresswell, Rice, Noble ©, Cullen, Holland, Makasi, Martinez
Subs: Hart (GK), Zabaleta, Masuaku, Fonte, Ogbonna, Obiang, Snodgrass, Arnautovic, Fernandes, Ayew