David Moyes has named a strong starting XI for Thursday’s UEFA Europa League Group A decider with SC Freiburg at London Stadium.
The manager has picked what is arguably close to his best possible team to face the German Bundesliga side, with the Hammers needing a win or draw to secure top spot and direct qualification for the round of 16 in March 2024. Defeat would see the Irons have to compete in the knockout play-off round against a third-place group finisher from the UEFA Champions League.
Łukasz Fabiański continues his role as West Ham’s European goalkeeper and captains the team. The Pole kept his first clean sheet of the Europa League campaign on matchday five as the Hammers won 1-0 against FK TSC in Serbia.
European veteran Vladimír Coufal makes the 66th European appearance of his career with Slovan Liberec, Slavia Prague and West Ham at right-back, with the man who has a full set of UEFA competition winner’s medals, Emerson, playing his 49th European game at club level.
Greece international Dinos Mavropanos starts alongside Morocco FIFA World Cup hero Nayef Aguerd at centre-back, with Kurt Zouma named among the substitutes.
Mexico star Edson Álvarez returns from illness to anchor the midfield after missing the weekend Premier League defeat at Fulham.
Tomáś Souček plays his 28th European game for West Ham, while James Ward-Prowse also starts, having assisted Aguerd’s winning goal from a corner in the reverse fixture in south-western Germany on 5 October.
Lucas Paquetá, who also scored in that game, which ended 2-1 to the Hammers, and Mohammed Kudus, who has nine goals in 21 career appearances in UEFA competitions, are also in Moyes’ team.
Leading scorer Jarrod Bowen has ten goals to his name in all competitions this season, but is still seeking his first European goal since last season’s UEFA Europa Conference League final in Prague, when his late winner saw off Fiorentina to secure the Club’s first major trophy in 43 years.
West Ham United: Fabiański ©, Coufal, Mavropanos, Aguerd, Emerson, Álvarez, Ward-Prowse, Souček, Kudus, Paquetá, Bowen
Subs: Areola (GK), Johnson, Kehrer, Cresswell, Zouma, Ogbonna, Coventry, Fornals, Benrahma, Cornet, Mubama, Ings
SC Freiburg: Atubolu, Sidillia, Ginter, Gulde, Makengo, Doan, Eggestein, Höfler, Grifo ©, Gregoritsch, Sallai
Subs: Müller (GK), Jantunen (GK), Weißhaupt, Höler, Kübler, Adamu, Röhl, Rüdlin, Baur
Referee: João Pinheiro (Portugal)
