David Moyes looks set to make two West Ham changes and a big formation decision for the first leg at Bayer Leverkusen.
We are now just hours away from kick-off in West Ham’s huge Europa League quarter-final first leg against Bayer Leverkusen.
The Hammers were already big underdogs from the outset after the draw for the last eight was made.
So the fact David Moyes will be without top scorer Jarrod Bowen and key midfielder Edson Alvarez means that very much remains the case.
West Ham still have serious attacking talent at their disposal.
So it would be foolish to write Moyes’ men off just yet.
This promises to be a tie decided on fine margins and West Ham will want to ensure they are still well in it to make home advantage count at the London Stadium next week.
Moyes faces difficult decisions after Bowen and Alvarez blows
The manager has some difficult decisions to make on how to set his side up for the away leg.
With Bowen out and Alvarez suspended, the team is considerably weakened.
But the performance in the comeback win at Wolves has given Moyes reason to be hopeful that West Ham’s squad can answer the call.
We predict Moyes makes two West Ham changes and a big formation decision for Bayer Leverkusen.
Boss makes two changes and formation switch
The major call facing the Scot is whether to change his shape.
The switch to wingbacks helped West Ham turn the game around against Wolves.
It gave the Hammers more control higher up the pitch and allowed the likes of Lucas Paqueta and Mohammed Kudus to play in their preferred positions too.
That would also help mitigate the impact of being without Bowen.
Despite Ben Johnson’s impressive performance as a sub at Wolves, we think Vladimir Coufal keeps his place – but it will be as a right wingback.
Change number one will see Aaron Cresswell come in for Bowen on the teamsheet.
He will play left centre-back like at Wolves, allowing Emerson Palmieri to push further forward – as he did with aplomb in that game.
Cresswell and Antonio in and a back five for Hammers?
Paqueta will play more central on the left ahead of Tomas Soucek and James Ward-Prowse and Mohammed Kudus be on the other side.
Change two will see Michail Antonio come in for Alvarez to lead the line up front.
German football expert Kevin Hatchard told Hammers News that West Ham can burst the Bayer bubble.
He makes the tie 60-40 in Bayer’s favour.
Hatchard also warned Moyes that simply sitting off in a low block and defending is usually futile.
However, the Hammers boss may have little choice but to do just that.
If those tactics are good enough for Bayern Munich against Arsenal, then it’s good enough for the Hammers at German champions-elect Leverkusen.
Predicted West Ham starting line-up for the first leg at Bayer Leverkusen
Fabianski, Coufal, Mavropanos, Zouma, Cresswell, Emerson, Soucek, Ward-Prowse, Paqueta, Kudus, Antonio.