Moyes near certain to name this team for AZ

Paqueta – a sight we hope to see tonight

It takes little working out what team David Moyes will throw onto the field for the match against AZ Alkmaar this evening.

Hopefully, however, he will not treat this game as an ultra defensive affair and attempt to hold onto the one goal lead he has from the first leg at the London Stadium.

That was a dogged win rather than an exciting victory, sealed by Mike Antonio’s stabbed home shot from close range.

The temptation to defend against a team beaten only one on its own great will be great but one assumes the manager will go with his counter approach which has become something of a seasonal trademark.

So here’s the team we expect to take the pitch against a very good AZ outfit who won 5-1 against lowly Emmen at the weekend while we were being beaten at Brentford.

West Ham: Areola, Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Cresswell; Rice, Soucek, Paqueta, Benrahma, Bowen, Antonio

By Hughie Southon