West Ham United vs Huddersfield Town
Date: 11/09/2017
K/O: 20:00pm
TV: Sky Sports Main Event
West Ham will be welcoming Premier League newcomers Huddersfield Town to the Olympic Stadium under the lights on Monday Night Football. They will be hoping to pick up their first points of the season, but it wont be easy against a Huddersfield side who have shown that they are not here to participate, but rather to compete.
Last time out West Ham were badly beaten at Newcastle 3-0, so they will be hoping the international break has rejuvenated the squad. Three straight defeats have lead to growing frustration within the fan-base, coupled with the highly publicised failure to sign some players (William Carvalho) at the end of the transfer window, leaving the squad relatively slim.
However, the camp at Huddersfield is in a much happier place after collecting seven points from their first three games. After a tough 0-0 draw against Southampton last time out, David Wagner will be hoping to collect a win against a deflated West Ham to stay near the top of the table.
Team News:
West Ham should be welcoming back Kouyate, Reid and Carroll to the starting line-up after they have recovered from injury. Although they will be without playmakers Lanzini and Fernandes who have both been ruled out by Slaven Bilic. Furthermore, Ayew faces a late fitness test to be fit for the game. They will also be without Marko Arnautovic as he is still serving a suspension.
Huddersfield Town will still be without Cranie, Gorenc-Stankovic and Hogg who are all carrying long-term problems. But they have no new injuries so will be expected to field an unchanged team from a couple of weeks ago.
Predicted line-ups:
West Ham: Hart, Zabaleta, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Kouyate, Obiang, Antonio Sakho, Hernandez, Carroll.
Huddersfield Town: Lossi, Smith, Schindler, Zanka, Lowe, Billing, Mooy, Kachunga, Van La Parra, Ince, Mounie.
Score Prediction: 2-2
With West Ham unable to defend at the moment its hard to imagine them keeping a clean sheet, however I do expect them to put themselves on the board and grab a point against a dangerous Huddersfield side who will cause the Hammers problems.
Written by Henry Tomlinson.
