Vladimír Coufal and Nayef Aguerd have returned to the West Ham United starting XI for Sunday’s Premier League trip to Manchester United.
Coufal missed out on the 1-1 home draw with AFC Bournemouth due to suspension, as a result of receiving two yellow cards in the draw away at Sheffield United, but is available for selection once again this afternoon.
Aguerd, meanwhile, makes his first West Ham appearance since the 3-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in mid-December. The 27-year-old has been representing Morocco at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations over the last month, helping his side reach the round of 16 of the tournament.
The duo come into David Moyes’ side at Old Trafford in place of Konstantinos Mavropanos and January loan signing Kalvin Phillips, with both the Greece and England internationals among the options available from the bench.
Alphonse Areola starts in goal. The Frenchman makes his eighth career appearance against Manchester United, having kept two clean sheets against the Red Devils for the Hammers.
Coufal, as mentioned, is back in the defensive line and plays alongside fellow returnee Aguerd. Captain Kurt Zouma also starts Sunday’s fixture, playing against Manchester United for the 20th time in his career – making Erik ten Hag’s side his most faced opponent in his career.
Emerson and Ben Johnson are also both included in the side, with the latter making his third start in four Premier League games, and the 60th Premier League start of his career.
Edson Álvarez comes up against his former Ajax manager at Old Trafford as the Mexican starts in the Hammers’ midfield, while Tomáš Souček starts a 13th consecutive Premier League match for the Irons. The Czech Republic captain will be looking to add to his eight goals scored in all competitions this campaign, and his 30 in his West Ham career.
James Ward-Prowse has been West Ham’s most-featured player so far this season, with 2,593 minutes to his name in Claret and Blue, and the No7 is in the starting XI once again against Manchester United. The summer signing has 16 goal involvements in 31 appearances this campaign.
Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus got the goals in the Hammers’ 2-0 home win over the Red Devils in December, and both start the game at Old Trafford. Each has been in superb form this campaign, with Bowen netting 14 goals in 28 appearances, while Kudus has scored ten times in 25 matches.
On the bench, Phillips and Mavropanos are joined by experienced trio Łukasz Fabiański, Angelo Ogbonna and Aaron Cresswell. Mawel Cornet and Danny Ings are also among the options, with Divin Mubama and Ollie Scarles completing the named nine players available.
Manchester United: Onana, Dalot, Maguire, Martínez, Shaw, Casemiro, Mainoo, Garnacho, Fernandes ©, Rashford, Højlund
Subs: Bayindir (GK), Lindelöf, Varane, McTominay, Amrabat, Eriksen, Forson, Antony, Diallo
West Ham United: Areola, Coufal, Johnson, Zouma ©, Aguerd, Emerson, Álvarez, Souček, Ward-Prowse, Kudus, Bowen
Subs: Fabiański (GK), Mavropanos, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Scarles, Phillips, Cornet, Ings, Mubama
Referee: Andrew Madley
