Nuno Espirito Santo has made one change from the team that beat Burnley 2-0 to face Manchester United this evening.
**West Ham starting XI**: Hermansen; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Disasi, Diouf; Potts, Soucek, Fernandes; Bowen, Taty, Summerville.
It’s just one personnel change with Freddie Potts coming in for Callum Wilson. However, that also means a change in formation, we’ve switched from the 4-4-2 to 4-3-3.
This is a defensive change, but it’s probably a smart and necessary one. Veteran Wilson probably can’t start after starting on Saturday, also, Pablo Felipe is out injured so there wasn’t really any other option to play up front with Taty.
The decision to put another midfielder in there against United is smart. United’s midfield is probably their strongest part of the team at the moment- Casemiro, Mainoo and Fernandes will try to dominate the middle of the park at London Stadium.
So Nuno’s decision to bring defensive midfielder Potts in is a good one for defensive reasons, but it also will allow Soucek and Fernandes to push further up where they can really make a difference.
The rest of the team was expected, Disasi keeps his place alongside Mavropanos after keeping a clean sheet, and Hermansen remains in between the sticks after an excellent display at Turf Moor.
A front three of Bowen, Summerville and Taty could work really well, as long as the wingers and/or Soucek can get up in support of the Argentinian striker.
The bench is reasonably strong with Callum Wilson and Adama Traore ready to come on to make an attacking impact if needed.
Youngsters Mayers, Scarles and Kante are also on the bench alongside Kilman, Areola and Walker-Peters.
Nuno has fielded a really strong team, probably the best team he could have. However, so have United, Carrick has named an unchanged team from the side that beat Tottenham 2-0.
We need to be wary of the front three of Cunha, Mbuemo and Amad, as well as Sesko off the bench. However, their back line of Dalot, Maguire, Martinez and Shaw also need to be wary of our on fire attackers.
It’s going to be tough against the League’s most in-form team, however, I do believe we can win after seeing the lineups in full.
Come on you Irons!