West Ham United will be aiming to return to winning ways when they face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park this weekend. The Capital outfit recently produced a strong performance against title-chasing Liverpool where they managed to play out a 1-1 draw. The stalemate ensured that they managed to cease a three match losing streak.
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Predicted Lineup:
Lukasz Fabianski has been the trusted goalkeeper between the sticks for the Premier League duties and he should reclaim his position after a solid performance against Liverpool where he made as many as five saves.
In the defence, Issa Diop and Angelo Ogbonna are likely to remain unchanged at the heart of the backline though manager Manuel Pellegrini may opt for a change at the right-back position. The experienced Pablo Zabaleta could come into the mix ahead of Ryan Fredericks while Aaron Cresswell remains the strong choice on the opposite end after a tireless performance last time around.
In the midfield, Mark Noble and Declan Rice have formed an impressive partnership alongside each other and the duo were very impressive against the Reds where the latter missed a clear-cut header which could have handed West Ham maximum points. The pair should continue in the double pivot in the centre of the park.
In the attack, no changes are expected. Roberto Snodgrass should get another start in the number 10 position while Felipe Anderson and Michail Antonio are likely to flank him on the left and right wing respectively.
While Antonio scored the all-important goal against the Reds, Anderson has recently been receiving the plaudits after overcoming an average period with a timely free-kick pass for the former’s strike on goal.
Upfront, Javier Hernandez should once more feature with regular marksman Marko Arnautovic remaining doubtful with a foot problem. The Mexico international had his chances to make the difference against Jurgen Klopp’s team but he could not find the shooting range when it mattered the most.
Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1): Lukasz Fabianski, Pablo Zabaleta, Issa Diop, Angelo Ogbonna, Aaron Cresswell, Mark Noble, Declan Rice, Michail Antonio, Robert Snodgrass, Felipe Anderson, Javier Hernandez
