Goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański returns to the starting line-up for West Ham United’s UEFA Europa League round of 16 first leg clash away at SC Freiburg, in the only change from Saturday’s 3-1 Premier League win at Everton.
The 38-year-old comes in for Alphonse Areola to make his 15th appearance of the season, and sixth in the Europa League where he has been instrumental in the Hammers’ success so far.
His five appearances in the group stage yielded three clean sheets, against Olympiacos, FK TSC, and most recently at home to tonight’s German opponents Freiburg, and the Pole will be looking to produce another good performance to help his team take the advantage back to London Stadium next week.
Ahead of Fabiański, Vladimír Coufal and Emerson start at right-back and left-back respectively, either side of captain Kurt Zouma and Dinos Mavropanos in central defence.
In midfield, Mexico international Edson Álvarez will be looking to replicate his goalscoring form from the last time the Irons played Freiburg in December, as well as last time out against Everton when he netted for the first time in the Premier League.
Álvarez is partnered in the middle by Tomáš Souček, who also notched a stunner against the Toffees at the weekend, and James Ward-Prowse, who contributed four assists in the group stage, but is still awaiting his first goal in the competition.
Lucas Paquetá and Mohammed Kudus each scored against Freiburg earlier this season and once again start in attack, alongside England international Jarrod Bowen, who is on 17 goals in all competitions in 2023/24 as it stands.
A bigger bench allows the inclusion of youngsters Joseph Anang, Kaelan Casey, George Earthy, Lewis Orford and Divin Mubama in the matchday squad, with Anang, Earthy and Orford yet to make their West Ham debuts.
Also among the substitutes are Areola, Ben Johnson, Angelo Ogbonna, Aaron Cresswell, Kalvin Phillips, Danny Ings and Michail Antonio.
SC Freiburg: Atubolu, Sildillia, Ginter, Gulde, Günter ©, Höfler, Dōan, Eggestein, Höler, Grifo, Sallai
Subs: Müller (GK), Uphoff (GK), Szalai, Weißhaupt, Keitel, Kübler, Adamu, Muslija, Philipp, Makengo, Röhl, Gregoritsch
West Ham United: Fabiański, Coufal, Zouma ©, Mavropanos, Emerson, Álvarez, Souček, Ward-Prowse, Paquetá, Kudus, Bowen
Subs: Areola (GK), Anang (GK), Johnson, Ogbonna, Casey, Cresswell, Phillips, Earthy, Orford, Ings, Antonio, Mubama
Referee: Alejandro Hernández (ESP)
