West Ham United and their opponents on Sunday, Watford, are 11th and 10th in the league, respectively, and are separated by just one point. The winner of this match will be assured of a top 10 place in the league, which would be a fantastic achievement for both clubs this season.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini has had a big impact on the team, and his first season as the Hammers manager can be deemed a success. His team have played good football and could finish the season 10 points more than last season, and a few places up in the Premier League table too.
West Ham had impressive wins against Tottenham and Southampton in the last two games, and will hope to finish the season on a high.
Let’s take a look at the possible team lineup for West Ham United on Sunday:
Predicted West Ham United Lineup vs Watford
Goalkeeper
Lukasz Fabianski will start in goal for the Hammers after keeping two clean sheets in the last two games. The Pole has made the most saves in the Premier League this season (141 saves) and has kept 7 clean sheets.
Defence
The Hammers’ defence will most likely be the same as the last two games. 22-year-old Issa Diop, who has been a revelation at the back for West Ham United this season, will likely start the match alongside Fabián Balbuena at the heart of the defence.
Ryan Fredericks, who scored a goal in West Ham’s win against Southampton, will start at right-back, while Arthur Masuaku will start at left-back,
Midfield
Declan Rice, who missed the game against Southampton, could return to the team and play alongside captain Mark Noble in midfield.
Robert Snodgrass is back in contention after his one-match suspension, but Manuel Lanzini could continue pulling the strings in midfield.
Felipe Anderson, another player who missed West Ham’s win against Southampton, is back in the squad and could replace Grady Diangana in the team, while Michail Antonio will retain his place in the side, starting from the right side of midfield.
Attack
Joint top-scorer for West Ham United this season, Marko Arnautović, will continue as the striker for West Ham, and will be looking to add more goals to his tally after his brace against Southampton last week.
Arnautović has had a pretty low-key second half of the season, and will hope to end it on a high.
