West Ham XI vs Southampton: Predicted lineup, confirmed team news, injury latest for Premier League today

Evening Standard

·26 December 2024

West Ham XI vs Southampton: Predicted lineup, confirmed team news, injury latest for Premier League today

Julen Lopetegui is keeping his cards close to his chest for St Mary’s trip

West Ham are today dealing with two new injury concerns ahead of their Boxing Day trip to Southampton in the Premier League.

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Head coach Julen Lopetegui revealed before the festive trip to St Mary’s that two of his contingent were battling knocks following Saturday’s 1-1 home draw with Brighton, but he declined to confirm their identities.

“We have a little problem with two players, one has an issue in the knee, so let's see in the next day if they are going to be ready or not for Southampton,” Lopetegui said. “If they are ready, that’s better, but if not, we have to take advantage of all our players.”

West Ham will definitely be without Lucas Paqueta against Southampton after the Brazilian midfielder received his fifth yellow card of the season in the top-flight at the weekend.

However, Paris Saint-Germain loanee Carlos Soler is back available after serving his own one-match ban on Saturday for yellow card accumulation.

Soler for Paqueta should be a like-for-like midfield change for West Ham at St Mary’s, though Konstantinos Mavropanos faces a late fitness test on a knock that forced him off at half-time against Brighton. The fit-again Jean-Clair Todibo looks likely to start alongside Max Kilman in defence.

The Hammers’ only other known absentee at present is forward Michail Antonio, who is recovering from surgery on a leg fracture sustained during a car accident earlier this month.

It remains to be seen if summer signing Niclas Fullkrug will be fit to start two games in a matter of days having made his first start since August against Brighton following a lingering Achilles injury.

If not, then one of captain Jarrod Bowen or Mohammed Kudus could play through the middle, with Crysencio Summerville coming into the attack. Danny Ings is another potential option up top with no Antonio.

Guido Rodriguez, Vladimir Coufal and Luis Guilherme are other options throughout the West Ham team if Lopetegui wants to rotate during the busy Christmas period and with tough games against Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa all coming up in a row after the rock-bottom Saints, who are now under new management in Ivan Juric after sacking Russell Martin.

Predicted West Ham XI: Fabianski, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson, Alvarez, Soucek, Soler, Bowen, Kudus, Fullkrug

Injured: Antonio

Doubt: Mavropanos

Suspended: Paqueta

Time and date: 3pm GMT on Thursday December 26, 2024

Referee: Lewis Smith

How to watch: Amazon Prime Video