Team news: Fernandes starts and Arnautovic leads the line at Chelsea

Marko Arnautovic in action against Chelsea at London Stadium

 

David Moyes has made just one enforced change to his starting XI for Sunday’s Premier League fixture at Chelsea.

Edimilson Fernandes replaces the injured Michail Antonio in the only alteration to the West Ham United team from last weekend’s 3-0 home win over Southampton.

That means Joe Hart starts in goal behind a back three of Declan Rice, Angelo Ogbonna and Aaron Cresswell, with Pablo Zabaleta and Arthur Masuaku in the wing-back positions.

Captain Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate anchor the midfield, with Fernandes and Joao Mario flanking Marko Arnautovic in attack.

Arnautovic goes into the game seeking his tenth Premier League goal of the season. Should he score at Stamford Bridge, the Austrian will become the first Hammer since Diafra Sakho in 2014/15 to hit double figures in the top flight.

Should he do so, he could help West Ham end their 15-year winless run at the Blues’ home ground, where the Hammers’ last victory here came courtesy of two spectacular Paolo Di Canio goals and one from substitute Jermain Defoe in September 2002.

Manuel Lanzini was not deemed fit enough following his recent knee injury, while James Collins, Winston Reid, Andy Carroll, Sam Byram and Pedro Obiang are all out.

That means places on the substitutes’ bench for Josh Cullen, who celebrated his 22nd birthday on Saturday, centre-back Josh Pask and winger Grady Diangana.

Chicharito is back after missing the Southampton win through illness, while Adrian, Patrice Evra and Jordan Hugill complete the list of replacements.

For Chelsea, Thibaut Courtois starts in goal after recovering from a hamstring injury, while captain Gary Cahill is recalled in place of Andreas Christensen at the heart of the defence.

West Ham United: Hart, Rice, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Zabaleta, Noble ©, Kouyate, Masuaku, Fernandes, Joao Mario, Arnautovic
Subs: Adrian (GK), Evra, Pask, Cullen, Diangana, Hugill, Chicharito

Chelsea: Courtois, Azpilicueta, Cahill (c), Rudiger, Moses, Kante, Fabregas, Alonso, Willian, Hazard, Morata
Subs: Caballero (GK), Christensen, Emerson, Drinkwater, Pedro, Bakayoko, Giroud