Team news: Antonio, Masuaku and Ogbonna start against Cardiff

Antonio

 

West Ham United’s starting XI for this evening Premier League clash with Cardiff City has been confirmed, with manager Manuel Pellegrini making three changes to his side. 

Arthur Masuaku, Angelo Ogbonna and Michail Antonio come into the starting XI for tonight’s match, while Pablo Zabaleta and Fabian Balbuena drop to the bench. 

Aaron Cresswell misses out after coming off with a knock over the weekend.

It means that Lukasz Fabianski continues his run of playing in every Premier League match this campaign for the Irons, having kept a clean-sheet in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Newcastle United. 

Issa Diop is also kept in the starting XI, having impressed in recent weeks. With Zabaleta dropping out, Antonio will likely feature at right-back while Ogbonna and Masuaku form the rest of the defence. 

The remainder of the starting XI sees the same six midfield and attacking players from Saturday’s win feature. 

Robert Snodgrass is once again on the right flank while Felipe Anderson, fresh after his nomination for the November Premier League Player of the Month, starts on the left. 

Captain Mark Noble and Declan Rice complete the midfield. 

Having scored twice in the last match, Chicharito once again features up front, with the Mexican supported by the 2017/18 Hammer of the Year, Marko Arnautovic. 

The bench sees Grady Diangana return to the matchday squad, with the Academy graduate featuring alongside Balbuena and Zabaleta in the substitutes. 

The trio are joined by goalkeeper Adrian, midfielder Pedro Obiang, and attacking duo Lucas Perez and Andy Carroll.

West Ham United: Fabianski; Antonio, Diop, Ogbonna, Masuaku; Rice, Noble (c), Snodgrass, F.Anderson; Arnautovic, Chicharito
Substitutes: Adrian, Zabaleta, Balbuena, Obiang, Diangana, Lucas, Carroll

Cardiff City: Etheridge, Bennett, Morrison (c), Bamba, Ecuele Manga, Camarasa, Ralls, Gunnarsson, Arter, Hoilett, Paterson
Substitutes: Smithies, Peltier, Murphy, Mendez-Laing, Harris, Madine, Reid

Referee: Graham Scott