West Ham United are set to resume their FA Cup campaign on Saturday when they lock horns with Kidderminster Harriers in the fourth round. Competing in the sixth tier of the English football pyramid, Kidderminster are among the minnows of the prestigious cup so far but could pose a real challenge for David Moyes’ men, who have ousted Manchester City in the previous round.
Predicted West Ham Lineup Vs Kidderminster
Defence
David Moyes is set to ring in the changes as he keeps one eye on the important Premier League encounter against Watford next midweek. Moreover, the former Manchester United head coach is missing out on the services of Angelo Ogbonna through injury, while Lukasz Fabianski remains a doubt.
As far as the starting eleven is concerned, Ryan Fredericks looks set to receive a rare starting opportunity at right-back, ahead of Vladimir Coufal. A similar change is expected on the opposite flanks, with Ben Johnson vying for a start.
Elsewhere in defence, Moyes is unlikely to risk Kurt Zouma, so the onus will be on Craig Dawson and Issa Diop to form the central defensive unit. They need to appear sharp against the Kidderminster team that will look to maximise their output on the counter.
Meanwhile, with Fabianski being a doubt, Alphonse Areola remains a favourite to start in between the sticks this weekend, in what could be his eleventh appearance in all competitions.
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Midfield
Moyes is set to give Declan Rice a breather ahead of the Watford game, paving the way for new signing Alex Kral to operate in midfield. The Czech international should form the double-pivot alongside the ever so experienced Mark Noble.
Their collective experience and composure on the ball could be critical as West Ham look to dominate Kidderminster this weekend. Moyes has no shortage of alternatives, though, with Tomas Soucek and Rice available, if required.
Attack
This FA Cup serves as an ideal excuse for David Moyes to rest some of his key attackers while giving chances to the lesser-used individuals. One of them is the new signing Nikola Vlasic. The Croatian international is hoping to operate in the number ten role, accompanied by the two wingers in Andriy Yarmolenko and Said Benrahma.
However, with no real alternatives in the number nine role, Moyes may have no choice but to persist with Michail Antonio as the leader of the West Ham frontline.
