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Football London
Football London
Sport
Tom Clark

West Ham team confirmed vs Rapid Vienna as Moyes makes eight changes with Coufal starting

West Ham manager David Moyes has made eight changes to his team to take on Rapid Vienna at the Allianz Stadion in the Europa League.

In goal, Moyes has opted to once again start with Alphonse Areola in Europe with Lukasz Fabianski remaining in London for the trip. Darren Randolph is named on the bench if required.

Vladimir Coufal has returned to the backline with the defender having to play back-up to the in form Ben Johnson in the Premier League for the time being.

Arthur Masuaku has got the nod ahead of Aaron Cresswell in the left-back slot. The two full-backs flank Craig Dawson and Issa Diop at the heart of the defence, with Kurt Zouma not risked ahead of the visit to Manchester City on Sunday.

In midfield, Moyes has handed a start to Mark Noble and he pairs Tomas Soucek at the heart of the Hammers 4-2-3-1 formation.

The rested Declan Rice is named on the substitutes' bench but the manager will be hoping he is not needed and able to have the night off in preparation for City on Sunday afternoon.

Moyes has changed up the Hammers attacking quartet with Pablo Fornals, Said Benrahma and Michail Antonio replaced in the team by Nikola Vlasic, Manuel Lanzini and Andriy Yarmolenko.

Antonio did not travel with the squad and is resting in London ahead of a busy period for the Hammers. Bowen will play through the middle as the Jamaica international's replacement.

Moyes brought a quartet of youngsters to Vienna and all four are named on the bench: Aji Alese, Dan Chesters and Sonny Perkins will all be hoping to get some European action under their belts if the Hammers can wrap the game up early.

If experience is needed off the bench, Moyes has the likes of Cresswell, Fornals and Benrahma to turn to.

West Ham XI: Areola, Coufal, Dawson, Diop, Masuaku, Noble, Soucek, Lanzini, Benrahma, Yarmolenko, Bowen

Substitutes: Randolph, Cresswell, Zouma, Alese, Fredericks, Johnson, Rice, Kral, Chesters, Fornals, Benrahma, Perkins

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