The Usual West Ham Team Expected in Predicted XI vs Palace

Crystal Palace are rarely an easy match for West Ham but surely the usual suspects can get it done for David Moyes to keep the unbeaten streak alive. Here is the breakdown of the predicted team.

Well, the biggest omission from the team that previously faced Crystal Palace and the team to be trotted out today is striker Sebastien Haller. Prior to being sold to Ajax, Haller scored December’s goal of the month for the Premier League with an acrobatic overhead kick to level the match.

No matter for the Hammers, though, as striker Michail Antonio is back fit and totally rested ahead of this cross-London Derby. Antonio is coming off of a one-goal performance in West Ham’s win over West Brom, getting rested for the 4-0 drubbing of Doncaster in the FA Cup.

Antonio’s supporting cast will be where the question marks come into play. Pablo Fornals plays his best with Antonio, but Said Benrahma has been on fire and Manuel Lanzini loves to score against Crystal Palace and London dernies in general. Decisions, decisions.

Here is Michail Antonio’s team ahead of West Ham’s clash with Crystal Palace:

Fabianski
Coufal – Dawson – Ogbonna – Cresswell
Rice – Soucek
Bowen – Benrahma – Fornals
Antonio

Bench: Randolph, Fredericks, Johnson, Diop, Balbuena, Noble, Lanzini, Yarmolenko, Odubeko

It may seem a little boring and predictable to pick the same team over and over again, but this is the core team that has seen West Ham go undefeated in 2021 so far and Moyes has no reason to make any shocking changes.

The real upgrade in this team over the FA Cup team assembled is the reunion of the superb back four that Moyes has made into one of the Premier League’s stingiest back-fours. As well, Declan Rice will step back in for Mark Noble to captain the team.

Crystal Palace have a habit of showing up against the Hammers, either coming from behind or stealing a point in a match they’ve been thoroughly outplayed in. To counter this, Moyes needs his team to start on time and capitalize quickly, as they did against Doncaster, to stamp out the Palace threat.