Julen Lopetegui faces yet another must-win game at Southampton so he simply cannot afford to get his West Ham team selection wrong.
One of Julen Lopetegui’s biggest problems at West Ham has been his team selection and tactics.
Hammers fans have too often been left baffled and frustrated by Lopetegui’s team selections.
If he gets it wrong at Southampton it could cost the Spaniard his job.
West Ham have won just five of their 17 Premier League games this season.
Yet Southampton are somehow even worse, sat rock bottom with just five points.
Lopetegui has survived two must-win clashes already in his Hammers tenure.
Now he must come through a third.
Lopetegui facing sack if Hammers don’t beat Saints
West Ham’s owners have made it clear to the 58-year-old only a win will do at St Mary’s.
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The Hammers hierarchy have also demanded the team starts to play better too.
Once again Lopetegui has had a stroke of luck with West Ham’s opponents for a must-win game.
The former Spain boss faces a Saints side that are not just the worst team in the top flight.
This Southampton team are on course to officially be the worst team in Premier League history.
West Ham United's Mohammed Kudus celebrates scoring his side's second goal with Jean-Clair Todibo during the Premier League match between West Ham ...
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
Lopetegui makes three West Ham changes for must-win clash
The Saints have just five points and are on course to break the unwanted record of the Premier League’s worst ever team – Derby County – who got just 11 points in the 2007/8 season.
After being jeered off following an extremely fortunately draw at home with Brighton, West Ham fans and owners are expecting a win.
Anything less simply will not be acceptable.
But Lopetegui has been getting his excuses in ahead of the game, highlighting the fact Southampton may get a new manager bounce with it being Ivan Juric’s first game in charge.
The Croatian is a master tactician and his presence in the dugout for his first game as Southampton boss certainly makes Lopetegui’s task more difficult.
This could be the Spaniard’s last roll of the dice at West Ham.
We predict £26m man is dropped as Lopetegui makes three West Ham changes for must-win Saints clash.
Niclas Fullkrug of West Ham United during the Premier League match between Leicester City FC and West Ham United FC at The King Power Stadium on De...
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Fullkrug dropped, Kudus in preferred position
The first Hammers change from the team which started against Brighton is enforced.
Lucas Paqueta picked up yet another booking last time out which means he is suspended for the game against the Saints.
Thankfully Carlos Soler, who was banned himself for the Brighton game, is back from suspension.
So he will take Paqueta’s place in change number one.
Change two comes in the back line.
Jean-Clair Todibo comes back in after his apparent falling out with Lopetegui of late.
The French centre-back replaces error-prone Konstantinos Mavropanos.
Although most fans see Todibo as the long-term starting centre-back alongside Max Kilman, he too has blown hot and cold and error-prone.
The third change will see Niclas Fullkrug dropped after an inauspicious first league start against Brighton.
The German striker is unhappy at West Ham and wants to leave in January.
West Ham are open to selling him too with money needed to go out and sign the younger, more mobile forward they should have brought in over the summer.
Crysencio Summerville will start the game on the left with Jarrod Bowen moving up front.
That means Mohammed Kudus will get his wish to play off the right.
After scoring against Brighton Kudus told Lopetegui he is playing him out of position on the left.
The Ghanaian said he prefers to play off the right where he can benefit the team more.
Predicted West Ham starting XI for Southampton:
Fabianski, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson, Soucek, Soler, Alvarez, Summerville, Kudus, Bowen.
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