West Ham expected starting XI: David Moyes goes all out and big Issa Diop call is made

West Ham will be hoping to get a healthy lead in tonight’s Europa League semi-final first leg against Eintracht Frankfurt, in a rocking London Stadium.

The Hammers will want to make their second leg encounter in Germany as easy as possible, to hopefully seal progression.

David Moyes’ side have been hit with a raft of injuries to their centre-backs, with Craig Dawson the only fit centre back in the team ahead of the game.

Moyes has some tough decisions to make, but there is a huge likelihood that academy graduate Ben Johnson will fill in at centre back, as he did against Chelsea over the weekend.

That would allow West Ham talisman Declan Rice to remain in midfield.

The Scot said in his press conference ahead of the game that this was “the biggest game” of his career so far, and he is expected to name his best available team.

In post, Alphonse Areola is expected to start ahead of the league number one Lukasz Fabianski.

The French international has been very good when called on in the cups this season.

There is a big call to be made on the wings, with Moyes likely to lean towards the pacey Said Benrahma ahead of Arthur Masuaku.

The West Ham fans will look to create the best of atmosphere of the season, as it’s the last time they will get to see their team in Europe at home this campaign.

LondonWorld also understands that around 10,000 Eintracht Frankfurt fans are expected in Stratford, even though the club have been allocated just 3,000 tickets for the game.

The German fans are looking to offer support to their club, who are aiming to become only the first German team to ever reach the final of the modern Europa League.

David Moyes though and his irrepressible Irons will have other ideas, as they look to make their own history by winning their first European title of the modern era.

So with the game on a knife edge, here is how we expected the English side to line up for the game.