West Ham meet Gent tonight in the Europa Conference League quarter-final tonight. David Moyes has been under intense pressure all season after a miserable campaign in the Premier League but Europe has offered something of a welcome distraction.
While the Hammers remain one of the favourites for the competition as a whole, they will need to improve on last week’s draw in Belgium. Gent were arguably the better side for much of the first leg and were perhaps unlucky to only come away with a 1-1 draw at home.
Still, the London Stadium has proven itself to be quite the venue on a big European night. Backed on by a huge home support, West Ham could make it two continental semi-finals in as many years with a victory against a team they should be beating. Follow the action with Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog, Malik Ouzia will be providing expert analysis from the ground!
Live updates
Confirmed Gent lineup
Starting Gent XI to face West Ham (3-4-1-2): Roef; Piatkowsi, Okumu, Fortuna; Samoise, Kuums, De Sart, Castro-Montes; Hong, Orban, Cuypers
Subs: Nordi, Ofoe, Hauge, Fofana, Torunarigha, Depoitre, Godeau, Tissoudali, Van Daele
Confirmed West Ham lineup
Starting West Ham XI to face Gent (4-3-3): Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson; Soucek, Rice, Paqueta; Bowen, Antonio, Benrahma.
Subs: Fabianski, Anang, Johnson, Cresswell, Fornals, Lanzini, Downes, Cornet, Igns, Kehrer, Potts, Mubama
Moyes: West Ham are finally getting back to their form of last season
David Moyes believes West Ham are finally getting back to their form of last season after Sunday’s superb comeback against Arsenal.
The Hammers were 2-0 down inside the opening 10 minutes against the Premier League leaders, but Said Benrahma’s penalty and then Jarrod Bowen’s second-half volley saw Moyes’s side earn a deserved share of the points.
They might have stolen all three late on, when Michail Antonio headed against the outside of the post, and following on from last weekend’s counter-attacking win at Fulham, the West Ham are at last beginning to look like a team with some identity and resilience.
Asked why his team have struggled to match last season’s performances until now, Moyes said: “I think we’ve tried to improve.
Read the full story here!
Moyes issues West Ham contract update as trio await news on futures
West Ham are yet to open talks with any of their out-of-contract players amid uncertainty over the club’s Premier League status.
The Hammers are currently four points clear of the relegation zone and, such are the contrasting outcomes still on the table for this season, they could either be planning for a year in the Championship next term or another European campaign – or even both.
Lukasz Fabianski, Manuel Lanzini and Angelo Ogbonna are all into the final months of their existing deals, which are due to expire this summer, but manager David Moyes confirmed their futures are yet to be resolved.
“We’ve been solely concerned with our league positions,” the Scot said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to get some things done shortly.”
Of the trio, Lanzini is almost certain to leave. The club have an option to extend the 30-year-old’s contract, but he has not started a League game since the opening day of the season and is looking to move on to revive his career.
Crystal Palace and West Ham on collision course over Lille boss Fonseca
Crystal Palace and West Ham could go head to head for Lille boss Paulo Fonseca this summer.
The London rivals are each considering managerial changes at the end of the season and Fonseca has been identified as a contender by both.
The 50-year-old was in the hunt for the West Ham job back in 2018, while he was also interviewed by Tottenham in 2021 before they hired Nuno Espirito Santo.
Fonseca is understood to be attracted to the idea of managing in the Premier League, but he is currently fully focused on finishing off a good season at Lille.
He has guided the French club to fifth place in Ligue 1 with seven games to go and they are pushing to qualify for Europe.
Read the full story here!
West Ham searching for heroes as Gent decider offers genuine jeopardy
Flynn Downes will be a tricky man to get hold of should West Ham reach this summer’s Europa Conference League final in Prague.
“I’ve already had two people onto me,” the Essex-born midfielder says of the inevitable scramble for tickets given “everyone I know supports West Ham”.
“I had one person text me yesterday about it. The phone could get put on airplane mode for a few weeks.”
It is a football fan’s divine right to dream and, lord knows, that for West Ham supporters there has been a lot more fading and dying than realising among hopes for this season so far.
Those fretting from the moment the group-stage draw was made about running out of annual leave or which cousin’s wedding might clash with the final looked presumptuous.
Read Malik Ouzia’s full feature here!
Head to head (h2h) history and results
West Ham wins: 1
Draws: 2
Gent wins: 0
Prediction: West Ham to win 2-1
While West Ham were not particularly convincing in Belgium, how they fought back against Arsenal spoke to a character this team haven’t always shown this season. On home soil, they should have enough.
West Ham to win, 2-1.
Gent team news: Castro-Monte expected back
For Gent, there are no fresh injury concerns at this stage. Alessio Castro-Montes was rested at the weekend and should return to the starting lineup here, having impressed last week.
West Ham team news: Aguerd available
Moyes has close to a full squad available for the game. Striker Gianluca Scamacca is the only absentee after going under the knife to correct a knee injury.
Angelo Ogbonna, meanwhile, is suspended after picking up a booking in the first leg last week.
Although Nayef Aguerd missed the dramatic draw with Arsenal on Sunday, the Moroccan is now back in training and expected to feature tonight.
