West Ham United’s starting XI for this evening’s Carabao Cup clash with Macclesfield Town has been confirmed, with Academy winger Grady Diangana making his first appearance for the club.
The 20-year-old has started five of the six Premier League 2 matches the West Ham U23s have played this season, and will make his senior side debut for the Irons this evening.
Previously, Diangana has been on the bench for West Ham on three occasions, featuring among the substitutes in the FA Cup match with Wigan Athletic last season, as well as Premier League games against Southampton and Chelsea.
Diangana, who will wear the No45 shirt for tonight’s game, is one of three Academy faces in the senior team’s matchday 18, with Joe Powell and Conor Coventry both on the bench. Should manager Manuel Pellegrini opt to bring on either, then they will also be making their West Ham debut.
Overall, there are eight changes to the side that drew with Chelsea at London Stadium on Sunday, with Michail Antonio, Pedro Obiang, and Issa Diop retaining their places.
Spaniard Adrian will play in goal for the Irons, while Ryan Fredericks, Angelo Ogbonna and Aaron Cresswell join Diop in the defensive line.
Carlos Sanchez is also reinstated to the starting XI, as is Robert Snodgrass, with the duo joining Obiang in midfield.
Antonio will once again be a part of the attacking trio for the Irons. Diangana will also line up on the flank, while summer signing Lucas Perez starts up front.
Powell and Coventry are joined on the bench by five players who all started this past weekend’s contest with Chelsea. Lukasz Fabianksi is among the substitutes, as is defender Fabian Balbuena.
Declan Rice, Arthur Masuaku – who scored a stunning finish at this stage of the competition last season against Bolton Wanders – and Andriy Yarmolenko complete the options available to Pellegrini.
West Ham United: Adrian; Fredericks, Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Sanchez, Obiang, Snodgrass; Antonio, Diangana, Lucas
Substitutes: Fabianski, Balbuena, Masuaku, Rice, Coventry, Powell, Yarmolenko
Macclesfield Town: O'Hara, Fitzpatrick, Lowe, Kelleher, Grimes, Marsh, Smith, Napa, Maycock, Pearson, Whitaker
Substitutes: Simpson, Hodgkiss, Wilson, Blissett, Welch-Hayes, Vincenti, Arthur