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West Ham vs Southampton: Premier League – How will both sides line up?

By Marc Walker

West Ham United's English midfielder Michail Antonio (L) vies with Southampton's English defender Jack Stephens (R) during the English Premier League football match between Southampton and West Ham United at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, southern England on December 14, 2019. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
West Ham United's English midfielder Michail Antonio (L) vies with Southampton's English defender Jack Stephens (R) during the English Premier League football match between Southampton and West Ham United at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, southern England on December 14, 2019. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Southampton travel to London on Saturday and will be looking to pick up another Premier League win towards the 40-point mark.

Saints received a boost at home last weekend when they overcame Aston Villa in a 2-0 win, and this meeting with West Ham looks to be an ideal opportunity to pick up another result.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side have the fifth-best away record in the Premier League this season and have played much more comfortably on their travels than on home turf.

Saints’ recent record against West Ham is not the greatest though having lost their last four top-flight meetings with the Hammers.

Back in December, Manuel Pellegrini’s visiting side to St Mary’s claimed a 1-0 victory thanks to a solitary strike from Sebastian Haller as their hosts struggled to get going.

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 14: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg of Southampton is tackled by Mark Noble of West Ham United during the Premier League match between Southampton FC and West Ham United at St Mary’s Stadium on December 14, 2019 in Southampton, United Kingdom. (Photo by Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images)
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 14: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg of Southampton is tackled by Mark Noble of West Ham United during the Premier League match between Southampton FC and West Ham United at St Mary’s Stadium on December 14, 2019 in Southampton, United Kingdom. (Photo by Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images) /

Key to this win was the role of Michail Antonio, who was pushed right up next to the Saints centre-backs in order to hassle them all game – which actually forced some mistakes too.

Hasenhuttl and his side will have to be wary of this today and look to create a hostile atmosphere at the London Stadium to produce a perfect away performance of their own.

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Ahead of the game, Saints are boosted by the return of full-back Kyle Walker-Peters after Ralph Hasenhuttl confirmed that the Spurs loanee returned to training this week.

He missed last weekend’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa with a slight knock but will surely come back into the starting line-up to allow James Ward-Prowse to take his normal midfield position once again.

West Ham have been dealt a blow with defensive midfielder Tomas Soucek picking up a hip injury after the Hammers’ 3-2 loss to Liverpool on Monday.

After replacing Soucek in that game, Pablo Fornals could come in to the starting line-up that could otherwise be unchanged.

One thing that isn’t clear is the system that David Moyes will use this afternoon.

The Scotsman has used a different formation in eight of his nine games in charge so far, according to transfermarkt, and has only managed one win from those fixtures.

Predicted West Ham line-up

Lukasz Fabianski, Jeremy Ngakia, Issa Diop, Angelo Ogbonna, Aaron Cresswell, Declan Rice, Mark Noble, Pablo Fornals, Robert Snodgrass, Felipe Anderson, Michail Antonio

Predicted Saints line-up

Alex McCarthy, Kyle Walker-Peters, Jan Bednarek, Jack Stephens, Ryan Bertrand, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, James Ward-Prowse, Moussa Djenepo, Stuart Armstrong, Shane Long, Danny Ings

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