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Rennes v West Ham

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Tomorrow sees  Ligue 1 giants Rennes host our very own Europa Conference League winners West Ham United at Roazhon Park.

Following three goal-laden victories over Boreham Wood, Perth Glory and Tottenham Hotspur,  West Ham were given a reality check upon their visit to the Chigwell Construction Stadium for last Saturday’s date with Dagenham.

Twice the Irons went ahead through Maxwel Cornet and the exciting Divin Mubama – who has now netted in three successive pre-season matches – and twice they were pegged back.

That four-goal stalemate brought an end to West Ham’s victorious summer streak, and David Moyes’s side are now leaving home comforts behind in what remains of their pre-season schedule.

Indeed, the Hammers finalise their preparations for the new campaign away to Bayer Leverkusen following tomorrows game, which will mark their first clash with Rennes in any competition. The Irons boast a 50% success rate from previous meetings with French teams, notably dumping Lyon out of the Europa League quarter-finals two seasons ago.

West Ham left plenty of their big names at home for the recent draw with Dagenham, as all of Gianluca Scamacca, Michail Antonio, Danny Ings, Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta, Kurt Zouma and Emerson Palmieri were all on the missing list

However, Moyes should recall most if not all of those players for the flight to Brittany, although Antonio and Scamacca’s futures remain clouded in uncertainty, so it is more than likely that the young Mubama should get a start

Former Rennes defender Nayef Aguerd will also expect to feature against his old employers, while Paqueta should also make his return soon as he battles back from a shoulder concern.

West Ham United possible starting lineup:

Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson; Bowen, Soucek, Downes, Benrahma; Mubama, Ings

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