West Ham United return from the international break with the hope of boosting their slim top-four hopes as they welcome the struggling Everton to the London Stadium this afternoon.
Two defeats in their previous three Premier League matches have seen the Hammers slip to seventh, six points off Arsenal in fourth having played two games more.
The Irons suffered a 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in their last league game before the international break, while Everton were thrashed 4-0 to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup on the same day.
Despite setting up a Europa League quarter-final tie with Lyon on Thursday night, West Ham have lost four of their last six matches in all competitions and the manager will have to find the right balance between focusing on the huge game in midweek and doing enough to maintain their lofty position in the Premier League table.
Moyes’ team have the fifth-best home record in the Premier League this season, with three wins from their last four at the London Stadium while Everton carry the worst away record in England’s top flight this term, attaining just six points from 13 matches.
Here is how Forever West Ham thinks the Hammers will line up against Everton at the London Stadium this afternoon, with one change from the defeat to Tottenham.
Ten-cap liability Arthur Masuaku will make way after a dismal display at Tottenham with the man who replaced him that day in midfielder Pablo Fornals, who is restored to the starting XI in a more familiar role.
Manuel Lanzini could be fit to feature having survived a scary car accident on Thursday evening and Said Benrahma is set to continue on the right after scoring against Spurs.
Jarrod Bowen could make the bench with Vladimir Coufal likely to miss out and Angelo Ogbonna is a long-term absentee.
Johnson will shift into right full-back after a wing-back role against Spurs while, Aaron Cresswell, Craig Dawson and Kurt Zouma will all continue in the side.
In the engine room, the seemingly ever-present tandem of Tomas Soucek and Delcan Rice remain but will be accompanied by Lanzini in a no.10 role to add some creative quality.
Fornals and Benrahma have both scored on their most recent Premier League starts, while Michail Antonio looks set to lead the line despite scoring just twice in the Premier League since October.
The Ukrainian Andriy Yarmolenko is perhaps unlucky to miss out. He scored the decisive goal against Sevilla as a substitute and came off the bench to net in the Hammers’ 2-1 win over Aston Villa in their most recent home league fixture.
With one eye on Lyon however, the £100k-per-week star will be needed at some stage but first Moyes must send his troops out for three points in the Premier League and this selection suggests he is intent on picking up the victory.
AND in other news, West Ham transfer target available at bargain £25m price…
