Julen Lopetegui will make two big changes for the crucial Premier League clash with Everton and it could be his last.
West Ham welcome Everton to the London Stadium in the Premier League with their manager under extreme pressure.
West Ham’s 3-0 defeat to Forest and Everton losing to Southampton has set up another ‘El Sackico’.
That’s if a host of reports have any substance ahead of the huge game.
The Hammers and Toffees are both allegedly considering sacking their managers.
Julen Lopetegui is feeling the heat with six different managers linked to his job in the last week.
One of them is said to be a mutual target of both West Ham and Everton in Sergio Conceicao.
The stakes are high and there have been conflicting claims about what the Hammers will do with Lopetegui should they lose to Sean Dyche’s side.
Are Bowen and Todibo fit to play for West Ham against Everton?
Some journalists have stated the Spaniard could find himself sacked by Sunday.
Others that he won’t be sacked even if the Irons lose 5-0 to Everton.
The Toffees will go above 14th placed West Ham in the Premier League table with a win.
So Lopetegui won’t want to test that particular theory.
The 57-year-old has a number of problems ahead of the game.
His best player, Mohammed Kudus, and midfielder Edson Alvarez are both suspended.
Meanwhile there have been serious doubts over the availability of Jarrod Bowen and Jean-Clair Todibo.
Striker Niclas Fullkrug also remains a long-term absentee.
Hardly ideal going into a game which, depending on who you believe, could decide your future.
I predict Lopetegui makes two big West Ham changes for the crucial Everton clash after a late boost.
Lopetegui makes two big West Ham changes for Everton
The great news for the Hammers is that captain Bowen should be ok to play.
Bowen was pictured back in training yesterday, sparking a collective sigh of relief among fans.
Tomas Soucek, who missed last weekend’s defeat to Forest with a virus, is also back for the game.
Lopetegui went with a back three and wingbacks at Forest.
It did not work at all.
So I think he’ll revert to a back four for Everton.
Veteran ‘keeper Lukasz Fabianski was one of the only players to emerge from the City Ground with any credit.
He will keep his place regardless of Alphonse Areola’s fitness after injury.
The first change will Soucek come into the side in place of Todibo, who has been struggling with an injury.
That will leave Konstantinos Mavropanos and Max Kilman in central defence. A partnership on which the jury very much remains out.
Soucek will then return to midfield after he was sorely missed last week.
He’ll take his place alongside Guido Rodriguez and – by the skin of his teeth – Lucas Paqueta.
The Brazilian has been in woeful form throughout 2024.
But Carlos Soler has looked lightweight so far so Paqueta stays in by default.
With no Europe and with the Hammers out of the League Cup, players like Soler have just not been able to get the required minutes under their belts to get up to match speed.
Change two will see Michail Antonio replace the suspended Alvarez in the starting XI.
Lopetegui dropped Antonio and played Paqueta as a false nine last time out.
It simply didn’t work.
Now Antonio will return up front with Crysencio Summerville and – thankfully – Bowen either side of him.
The big six pundits have had their say on West Ham v Everton with some weird and wonderful takes in the process.
Predicted West Ham starting XI to face Everton:
Fabianski, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson, Soucek, Rodriguez, Paqueta, Summerville, Bowen, Antonio.
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