West Ham United faced their first defeat in the last five matches as they lost to Watford 0-2 last weekend. However, they would look to push that disappointment aside and bounce back to winning ways when they take on Southampton, a team that has hit a rich vein of form with two wins in their last two matches.
The Saints dominated their opponents Huddersfield Town in their last outing as they beat Wagner’s men comfortably. New manager Ralph Hasenhuttl seems to have injected that winning mentality in the side and it would be a riveting contest when they meet Manuel Pellegrini’s side in the next match at the St Mary’s Stadium.
Team News
Jack Wilshere, Andriy Yarmolenko and Manuel Lanzini continue to be on the sidelines for the Hammers along with Marko Arnautovic. Fabian Balbuena picked up an injury as well, and he could be out for the next game. Lucas Perez, who is also recovering from an injury, would be assessed before the next match.
Goalkeeper
Lukasz Fabianski did not have a very good time in goal against Watford, having conceded two goals. However, he will be the one to safeguard the goal against an in-form Southampton attack.
Defence
With Balbuena unsure of making it into the side, Issa Diop would have to pair up with Angelo Ogbonna in the heart of the backline. Veteran Pablo Zabaleta would start in the right back position while Arthur Masuaku should put in a shift from the left.
Midfield
Declan Rice would start in the middle of the pitch alongside Mark Noble. Robert Snodgrass would put in a shift from the right-hand side of the midfield while Felipe Anderson would look to get the ball forward from the left.
Attack
The striker issue has been a severe problem for the Hammers. In the current scenario, Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez is the only viable option to lead the line for Pellegrini’s men. He would be joined by Michail Antonio, who would play as the secondary striker, just behind the Mexican international.
Predicted Formation: 4-4-2
