David Moyes will look to shake off the disappointment of defeat in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final when they host Arsenal in a London derby this weekend. West Ham will need to shake off a 2-1 loss at the hands of Eintracht Frankfurt at the London Stadium during the week.
The Hammers conceded a first-minute goal against the German side that completely changed the atmosphere in the east Londoners stadium. There was a nervy vibe around the stadium until Michail Antonio equalized exactly 20 minutes later. West Ham created the better of the chances after that, but it was Frankfurt that would create the chance that counted when they took a 2-1 lead shortly before the hour mark.
West Ham vs Arsenal FYIs
When is it? Sunday, May 1st, 2022 4.30 PM PM Local Time.
Where is it? London Stadium, London.
Starting XI Predictions: Arsenal West Ham
Team News: Arsenal West Ham
Who’s in form? West Ham (LWDLL) Arsenal (LLLWW)
What are the odds? West Ham (+340) Arsenal (-125) Draw (+280)
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Jarrod Bowen almost scored a sensational equalizer in injury time in the second half, to no avail. The match finished 2-1 to the away side, leaving the Irons with an enormous job ahead of them in the second leg.
West Ham will need to avoid the dreaded continental hangover. As good as they have been this season, a poor run of results to finish the season could leave the Hammers with no European football next season. That would be a cruel reward for the tremendous season David Moyes men have had so far.
Team News
Angelo Ogbonna remains out, having suffered an ACL injury back in November of last year. The Italian defender is hugely missed. Particularly now when the Hammers options at center-back are severely depleted. Ogbonna is unlikely to play again until after the World Cup in Qatar at the end of this calendar year.
Issa Diop is another center-back who remains unavailable for selection. Initially, it was feared his ankle injury would see him miss the rest of the season. There is some optimism that might not be the case. This is what David Moyes had to say to the media prior to the Europa League semi-final:
“Issa is actually doing quite well as well. He feels a little better than we first hoped, so there’s a bit of positivity around all those players.”
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Craig Dawson received a red card in West Ham’s last league fixture against Chelsea. That means he is suspended for this fixture, further weakening the Irons options at center-back.
In some good news concerning the Hammers center-back crisis, Kurt Zouma is expected to return to the League XI. He was a surprise selection for the Europa League semi-final, and despite needing some attention toward the end of the match – he made it through the 90 minutes.
David Moyes will hope his side can avoid any further defensive injuries in this clash on the weekend.
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.