In their last match, Erik ten Hag's side secured a 0-0 draw against Liverpool, placing them in seventh position in the table with 28 points. West Ham, on the other hand, suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat to Jurgen Klopp's team in the EFL Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday night.
December has seen West Ham's inconsistency with three wins, one draw, and two losses in six games, including a 5-0 defeat at Fulham and a 5-1 loss to Liverpool in the League Cup. Despite resting key players against Liverpool, David Moyes' decision backfired, leading to a disappointing League Cup exit.
However, West Ham remains in contention in the Europa League, advancing to the last-16 stage. In the Premier League, they have won four of their last six games, including a 3-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at home last weekend. Currently in ninth place with 27 points, one less than seventh-placed Manchester United, a win over the Red Devils would propel West Ham into sixth position.
In their previous encounter last season, West Ham secured a 1-0 win against Manchester United with Said Benrahma scoring the decisive goal. Since their draw at Anfield, Manchester United has not played any matches, and the result was considered positive given the surrounding noise and challenges facing the club.
Manchester United, with one win in their last six games across all competitions, needs to regain momentum. Their league record includes nine wins, one draw, and seven losses, totaling 28 points and placing them in seventh position, six points behind fourth-placed Manchester City.
Having exited the EFL Cup and Champions League, Manchester United is not in the Europa League's latter stages due to a disappointing group-stage campaign in the European Cup.
Their upcoming fixtures include a home game against Aston Villa on December 26 and an away match against Nottingham Forest to close out the year. Manchester United has accumulated 13 points from their eight away league games this season, with their last victory at the London Stadium against West Ham dating back to September 2021, featuring goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Jesse Lingard under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's management.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
For West Ham, Michail Antonio remains sidelined due to a persistent knee issue, but Nayef Aguerd and Maxwel Cornet are expected to make their return after recovering from illness.Coach Moyes plans to shuffle the lineup that faced Liverpool in the EFL Cup, with Lucas Paqueta, James Ward-Prowse, Kurt Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson Palmieri, and Lukasz Fabianski all set to be back in action. Mohammed Kudus, who attracted interest from Man United over the summer, has scored five Premier League goals this season and is likely to join Paqueta and Bowen in the attacking third.
As for Manchester United, captain Bruno Fernandes is set to return after serving a suspension. His comeback may lead to Sofyan Amrabat moving to the bench, and Scott McTominay taking a deeper role in the midfield.
Several players, including Tyrell Malacia, Harry Maguire, Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Mason Mount, Jadon Sancho, and Amad Diallo, remain unavailable. Victor Lindelof is out due to a minor operation, but Anthony Martial is expected to make a comeback after being absent due to illness.
Christian Eriksen is back in training after a knee problem, with a chance of being included in the squad. However, Diogo Dalot is suspended following his red card at Anfield, leading to Aaron Wan-Bissaka featuring at right-back. While Marcus Rashford continues to wait for a Premier League start, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho are likely to support Rasmus Hojlund, who is still seeking his first goal in England's top flight.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
West Ham United possible starting lineup:Fabianski; Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson; Soucek, Alvarez, Ward-Prowse; Kudus, Bowen, Paqueta
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Evans, Shaw; Mainoo, McTominay; Antony, Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund
EXPERT PREDICTION
West Ham 2-1 Manchester United
