Lanzini

Team News: Lanzini and Cornet return as Moyes makes changes for Brentford

David Moyes makes nine changes as West Ham United head to Brentford on Sunday afternoon.

Returning to Premier League action, Nayef Aguerd and Tomáš Souček are retained from the side who beat AZ Alkmaar 2-1 in the first leg of our UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final on Thursday evening, with Manuel Lanzini, who makes his second start of the league season, one of the players drafted in.

The Argentina international midfielder’s last start in the top-flight came on opening day against Manchester City and, nine months later, the No10 will make his 224th appearance in Claret and Blue in west London.

It’s the best we have felt this season because we had a really good win against Manchester United at the weekend as well.
David Moyes

Looking to beat Brentford for the first time in the Premier League, Łukasz Fabiański keeps his place as the domestic goalkeeper, with Alphonse Areola, who has started all of the Irons' European fixtures in 2022/23, part of the matchday squad.

Today, the 37-year-old makes his 350th Premier League appearance.

Back in a starting XI for the first time since a defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion last month, Ben Johnson is part of a rotated defence. Emerson also returns, and is joined by centre-backs Aguerd and Italian compatriot Angelo Ogbonna, who captains the side on his return from illness.

Alongside Souček and Lanzini, Flynn Downes makes his 20th Premier League appearance at the heart of the midfield.

Meanwhile, Cornet’s second Premier League start for West Ham arrives at Brentford, with Pablo Fornals and Danny Ings, who has three goals in his last two appearances against the Bees, including two in a 4-0 Aston Villa win in October, part of the attack.

Benrahma celebrates

Scorer of the winning goal when the two sides met in the FA Cup in January and a former Bee to boot, Saïd Benrahma is part of a strong substitutes’ bench that seats England internationals Declan Rice and Jarrod Bowen.

Thilo Kehrer could make his 35th appearance from the bench, with Aaron Cresswell, Kurt Zouma and Paquetá also available to David Moyes.

With Michail Antonio not travelling to west London, Divin Mubama, who made his Premier League debut on Boxing Day last year, is also included in the matchday squad. The 18-year-old seeks his fifth first-team appearance today.

 

Brentford: Raya ©, Hickey, Mee, Pinnock, Henry, Janelt, Jensen, Damsgaard, Wissa, Mbeumo, Schade
Subs: Cox (GK), Dasilva, Zanka, Ghoddos, Onyeka, Ajer, Baptiste, Roerslev, Stevens

West Ham United: Fabiański, Johnson, Aguerd, Ogbonna ©, Emerson, Downes, Souček, Fornals, Lanzini, Cornet, Ings
Subs: Areola (GK), Benrahma, Bowen, Cresswell, Kehrer, Mubama, Paquetá, Rice, Zouma


Referee: Michael Oliver

 

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