West Ham United manager David Moyes has selected an unchanged squad for his side’s trip to face Manchester United on Wednesday evening.
Knowing that a single point would mathematically secure the Hammers’ Premier League safety – with the Irons sitting three points clear of their relegation rivals with one game to go, and boasting a significantly better goal difference – Moyes will be looking to build on back-to-back victories in recent days.
As a result, the manager has opted to name the same starting 20-man matchday squad – including the exact same starting eleven and substitutes – who impressed so greatly in the 3-1 win over Watford at London Stadium on Friday night.
That means that all three of West Ham’s first-half goalscorers – Michail Antonio, Tomas Soucek and Declan Rice – will start at Old Trafford.
The announcement also signifies a third senior start for Academy graduate Ben Johnson, who memorably made his Premier League debut in Manchester last season at City, and who registered an excellent assist for the Under-23s against Manchester United at Old Trafford earlier this campaign.
Lukasz Fabianski will start in goal, protected by a back four of Johnson, Issa Diop, Angelo Ogbonna and Aaron Cresswell, who netted against the Red Devils in our 2-0 win over them at London Stadium in September.
In midfield, Rice and Soucek will be supported by captain Mark Noble, who made his 500th Club appearance against the Hornets last week.
That trio will once again feed the attacking talents of Jarrod Bowen, Antonio – fresh from attaining their fourth assist and seventh goal respectively since the season restart versus Watford – and Pablo Fornals.
From the substitutes' bench, Moyes’ options comprise goalkeeper Darren Randolph; defenders Fabian Balbuena and Arthur Masuaku; midfielders Conor Coventry, Jack Wilshere and Manuel Lanzini; and forwards Felipe Anderson, Andriy Yarmolenko and Sebastien Haller.
West Ham United: Fabianski; Johnson, Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Rice, Soucek, Noble ©, Fornals, Bowen, Antonio
Subs: Randolph (GK), Balbuena, Masuaku, Coventry, Wilshere, Lanzini, Felipe Anderson, Yarmolenko, Haller
Manchester United: De Gea, Fosu-Mensah, Maguire (c), Lindelof, Williams, Matic, Pogba, Fernandes, Greenwood, Martial, Rashford
Subs: Romero (GK), Dalot, Wan-Bissaka, Fred, Mata, McTominay, Lingard, James, Ighalo
