This week, West Ham travels to Spain to face high-flying Sevilla in UEFA Europa League knockout competition. The Hammers head to the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, sitting in sixth place in the English Premier League. Their opponents, Sevilla, sit comfortably in second place of Spanish football’s top tier – La Liga. The Hammers had a tremendous group stage.
They finished top of Group H and earned themselves a rest. Securing the top spot in the group stage saw them receive a bye in the last round.
West Ham comes into this fixture on the back of some poor form. They have failed to win in four of their last five fixtures, losing consecutive matches to Southampton and Liverpool. It is not the best preparation for what manager David Moyes has called the toughest draw possible in the round of 16.
Sevilla vs West Ham FYIs
When is it? Thursday, 10 March 2022 5.45 PM
Where is it? Estadio Ramon Sánchez Pizjuan, Seville
Who’s in form? Sevilla (WDLWD) West Ham (DDWLL)
What are the odds? Sevilla (+110) West Ham (+290) Draw (+220)
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Here’s all the latest team news for the East Londoners as they return to continental competition this season.
We’ll start with Czech right-back Vladimir Coufal. He is unavailable for selection as he continues to recover from an operation he had on a sports hernia at the end of February.
Andriy Yarmolenko remains out of contention for selection because of personal reasons. He is struggling with what is occurring in his homeland of Ukraine and will remain out for the foreseeable future. David Moyes had this to say when asked of his availability prior to their last Premier League match:
“I don’t think he’s quite ready and we want to give him every opportunity to do everything he can for his family and his country.”
Hearts were in mouths when Jarrod Bowen limped off the pitch against Liverpool at the weekend. They later confirmed he had suffered a heel injury and could not put any weight on the injured leg. Hammers’ staff are still unsure if he will travel to Spain.
Finally, we have Declan Rice, who was a late withdrawal from the Irons’ last Premier League match with illness. That illness was not thought to be COVID, and he is expected to be recovered in time to make the trip to Seville.
West Ham has a famously small squad, and this number of injuries will be a worry for Hammers staff and fans alike.
Stuart Kavanagh is an up-and-coming sports journalist from Melbourne, Australia. Along with being the owner of the sports and entertainment website thepyrrhic.com, he is also the co-host of the ‘After Extra Time’ podcast. Football mad, he is always down for debate and discussion at @stueyissickofit on Twitter.