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Football London
Football London
Sport
Tom Clark

West Ham team confirmed vs Southampton as David Moyes makes Kurt Zouma decision

David Moyes has named an unchanged starting XI from the 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace for this afternoon's clash at St Mary's against Southampton.

New signing Kurt Zouma will have to wait for his West Ham debut at the heart of the defence with Craig Dawson retaining his place alongside Angelo Ogbonna.

The Hammers go into the match second in the Premier League table after taking seven points from nine in the opening three matches of the league campaign.

Moyes had a fully fit squad to choose from for today's match with Arthur Masuaku recovered from injury and back in contention for the first team.

The Hammers manager has elected to retain faith in No.1 Lukasz Fabianski with Alphonse Areola once again named amongst the substitutes.

Ahead of Fabianski, Moyes has gone with a back four made up of Aaron Cresswell, Ogbonna, Dawson and Vladimir Coufal with Ryan Fredericks, Issa Diop and Kurt Zouma offering cover on the bench if required.

The Hammers are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Tomas Soucek and Declan Rice the regular screen in front of the back four and given the responsibility of driving the Hammers up the pitch. Soucek's Czech Republic teammate and deadline day arrival Alex Kral will start the match as a substitute.

With club captain Mark Noble named among the replacements, Rice will lead the Hammers out against Ralph Hasenhüttl's side.

Pablo Fornals, Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen all retain their places with new boy Nikola Vlasic waiting in the wings and likely to appear off the bench.

The Hammers trio of attacking midfielders line-up behind lone striker and newly crowned EA Sports Premier League Player of the Month Michail Antonio.

West Ham XI: Fabianski, Coufal, Dawson, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Rice, Soucek, Fornals, Benrahma Bowen, Antonio

Substitutes: Areola, Diop, Zouma, Fredericks, Kral, Noble, Lanzini, Yarmolenko, Vlasic

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