Leicester City vs West Ham United
Second-guessing a football manager is never easy, and in the case of Julen Lopetegui, it’s even harder given his precarious job security.
The Hammers travel to the King Power Stadium to face Leicester City, with new Foxes manager Ruud van Nistelrooy set to take charge for the first time.
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The oddly scheduled 8:15 pm kick-off is a highly winnable game for Lopetegui against a team lacking Premier League quality. However, the Spaniard can’t afford any slip-ups and must get his team selection right.
Niclas Füllkrug may well be travelling with the West Ham squad, but Lopetegui is unlikely to start him. The same can’t be said for Mohammed Kudus.
While the Irons’ gaffer criticised Kudus’s lack of game time during his suspension, the Ghanaian has featured for his national team and is too good to leave out.
Edson Álvarez could come in to replace Tomáš Souček, although Lopetegui may opt to keep things unchanged in midfield.
The final change should see Konstantinos Mavropanos replace Jean-Clair Todibo, who appeared to run out of steam in the second half against Arsenal. To be fair to the Frenchman, he was carrying a knock and only played because Mavropanos had a bout of man flu before Saturday’s fixture at the London Stadium.
It’s a big game tonight. If Lopetegui secures four points from the next two matches, his job should be safe into the New Year. But Leicester v West Ham is a game he dare not lose, meaning his team selection must be spot on.