Is This Moyes' Line Up For Sunday?

Last night's comprehensive win over perennial champions league qualifiers Dinamo Zagreb strangely threw up more questions than answers, for a start David Moyes played a very strong line up which included the backbone of his successful league side, this was not necessarily his expected course of action with many guessing, incorrectly, that he would give Mark Noble a start and play Alphonse Areola in goal.

He did neither, playing a strong eleven sent a message out to the other teams in the Europa Cup that West Ham are taking the competition very seriously, a loss or a draw would have put added pressure on the squad as they attempt to pursue a high finish in the Barclays Premier League for the 2nd season in a row.

Although Genk scored in the last minute to gain victory in their fixture, Hammers top the group on goal difference and have already faced the most 'fancied' opponents in the group. That cushion could prove to be important as injuries and a frenzied fixture list takes it's toll later on in the season.

Sooner or later David Moyes was going to have to come up with a plan B for when Mikey Antonio became unavailable, that necessity has occurred a lot sooner so who does he start in Antonio's stead against what will be a very pumped up Man Utd team?

We'll come back to that by first looking at who else will feature, Kurt Zouma absolutely MUST start on Sunday but which other new signings might feature? The gaping hole left by Antonio's unavailability has to be filled and the most obvious choice is new signing Nikola Vlasic, or is he? Jarrod Bowen has deputised for Antonio before and will not be fazed by the situation, however he is more suited to cutting in from the wing, so perhaps Moyes might elect to play Benrahma, Bowen and Vlasic as a front three that can interchange in attack.

Vlasic showed some decent touches against Dinamo and also the willingnes to chase the opposition, but he will need time to adapt to the frenetic pace of the current Hammers side, that element could be almost as hard for the player to learn as it is for the opposition to cope with!

Being a cautious man, David Moyes won't start with Areola in goal, he is much more likely to give the Frenchman a run out for Tuesday's EFL Moose Cup game at Old Trafford and retain Fabianski for the time being. Here is what we think will be David Moyes' line up for Sunday: Fabianski, Coufal, Zouma, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Rice (c), Soucek, Fornals, Benrahma, Bowen, Vlasic. Comment if you think differently. - LN