West Ham United will kick-off their Premier League season against Newscastle United at London Stadium.
The East London based club will start their Premier League in a bit of turmoil. The sale of academy product Grady Diangana has angered many Hammers fans. The decision was taken by the owners and manager David Moyes is not happy with it and so is the club captain Mark Noble, who publicly expressed his anger through Twitter and was supported by Declan Rice.
As captain of this football club I’m gutted, angry and sad that Grady has left, great kid with a great future!!!!! https://t.co/oNPPEp8Pt6
— MARK NOBLE (@Noble16Mark) September 4, 2020
Their failure to bring in defensive reinforcements will hurt the club in the long term future. However they are in the hunt of signing Burnley defender James Tarkowski but the deal is taking more time than expected.
But with the current squad in David Moyes’ hands, Lukasz Fabianski’s form in the second season at London Stadium deteriorated but still he expected to keep his place in starting XI against Newcastle. Regulars Aaron Cresswell and Johnson will occupy the full-back options despite Johnson’s poor showing against AFC Bournemouth in the pre-season fixture.
Diop and Ogbonna had started to gel in second half of last season so they are likely to get a nod but Czech International Tomas Soucek will miss some fixtures after one of his international teammates had contracted the COVID-19 virus.
Club captain Mark Noble and Declan Rice will play as defensive midfielders while Pablo Fornals will push forward to support the attack. Record club signing Sebastian Haller is likely to a starting place in the side along with in form striker Michail Antonio and new club signing Jarrod Bowen.
West Ham United’s Predicted Line-up: Fabiański; Cresswell, Ogbonna, Diop, Johnson; Rice, Noble, Fornals; Antonio, Haller, Bowen.
