Fornals set to return…but Bowen question remains

(Photo by James Griffiths/West Ham United FC via Getty Images)

West Ham are heading into a game which would bring them their first ‘double ‘ of the season on Saturday and one which is again seen as a ‘must win.’

Much has been made of Southampton’s revival after a 0-9 hammering by Leicester City back in October yet it was followed by two Premier League defeats and a draw before a couple of wins kicked in.

Since then they have won six times but have been beaten in League and Cup in three of the last four Cup and League games.

David Moyes has to approach the game in exactly the same way as he did against Liverpool and the level of performance – as declared by Declan Rice – has to be at the same the ‘minimum.’.

Nothing else will do at this stage of proceedings and the big question is will we see Jarrod Bowen get his first start in the claret and blue.

But for Liverpool keeper Allison’s head he would have grabbed a late equaliser against the PL leaders on Monday evening when – in typical fashion – he cut in from the right and just failed with a dink over him with his left.

I don’t think we will and expect the manager to make just one change with Fornals coming in for the injured Soucek.

That would be  a shame as I have believed since before we signed him that Bowen can play a big part in our survival.

He is  – in old fashioned terms – an inside right and as things stand it would seem the only player he can replace is Anderson who, for me, continues to disappoint.

Although he had only just returned from an injury break he seemed to be in much the same ‘form’ as before his back injury and his apparent avoidance of too much physical contact is a worry.

Whether Bowen is any sort of direct replacement for him we can only wonder in the meantime.

These are decisions which Moyes simply has to get right on Saturday in a game which probably ranks as the most important so far given the circumstances.

Likely team: Fabianski; Ngakia, Diop, Ogbonna, Creswell; Rice, Noble, Fornals Snodgrass; Anderson, Antonio