A busy Saturday of football starts with a lunchtime kick-off in east London, where ‘single Gameweek’ teams West Ham United and Newcastle United meet.
There are absentees on both sides at the London Stadium but the nameless “one or two injuries” that David Moyes reported in his pre-match press conference don’t include Jarrod Bowen, who starts along with Michail Antonio.
Vladimir Coufal and Manuel Lanzini are in fact the players to miss out altogether, with Ryan Fredericks and Said Benrahma coming into the side to replace them.
“Manuel Lanzini got a knock in training and Vladimir Coufal has an issue with his hernia.” – David Moyes
Kurt Zouma returns from illness to replace Issa Diop in the third and final starting XI change that Moyes has made from the 2-2 draw with Leicester.
“Physically we were worried if he’s recovered from the sickness, but he’s trained a few days so I think he’ll be OK.” – David Moyes on Kurt Zouma
As for Newcastle, we knew that Kieran Trippier and Javier Manquillo would be injury-related absentees but we hadn’t been notified in advance about Allan Saint-Maximin‘s knock, which keeps him out of Gameweek 26.
“He was kicked at various times during the [Aston Villa] game” – Eddie Howe on Allan Saint-Maximin
Media reports suggest he could be out for 2-3 weeks (so he may still return for Double Gameweeks 28 and 29) but this has not been verified by club or manager yet.
Trippier, Manquillo and Saint-Maximin are replaced by Emil Krafth, Jacob Murphy and Matt Targett in Howe’s three enforced alterations from last weekend.
GAMEWEEK 26 LINE-UPS
West Ham XI: Fabianski, Fredericks, Zouma, Dawson, Cresswell, Rice, Soucek, Fornals, Benrahma, Bowen, Antonio.
Newcastle XI: Dubravka, Krafth, Schar, Burn, Targett, Willock, Shelvey, Joelinton, Murphy, Fraser, Wood.
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