Team news: Moyes names strong first Hammers XI

David Moyes

 

David Moyes has named a strong starting XI for his first game as West Ham United manager.

The Scot has picked nine full internationals for this afternoon’s Premier League fixture at Watford, where the Hammers will seek to end a run of four top-flight matches without a win.

Joe Hart starts in goal behind a back four of Pablo Zabaleta – available again after a one-match suspension – Winston Reid, Angelo Ogbonna and Aaron Cresswell.

Captain Mark Noble will line up alongside Cheikhou Kouyate and Pedro Obiang in midfield, with Manuel Lanzini and Marko Arnautovic supporting Andy Carroll in attack.

Zabaleta replaces Edimilson Fernandes, while Arnautovic is in for Andre Ayew and Carroll takes the place of the injured Chicharito.

The big news on the bench is that, in the absence of the ill Ayew, Spanish striking sensation Toni Martinez has been called into the first-team matchday squad for the first time in his Hammers career. The 20-year-old former Valencia youngster, who has ten goals in 12 U23 appearances this season, will wear the No29 shirt.

He will be joined on the bench by goalkeeper and compatriot Adrian, Arthur Masuaku, Fernandes, Diafra Sakho and fellow U23 stars Declan Rice and Domingos Quina.

Michail Antonio, Sam Byram, James Collins, Jose Fonte and exciting youngster Nathan Holland are all absent through injury.