Aaron Cresswell

Team News: Cresswell returns, Vlašić starts against Burnley

Aaron Cresswell returns to the West Ham United starting line-up for Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Burnley at London Stadium.

The left-back missed Thursday’s UEFA Europa League quarter-final second leg win at Olympique Lyonnais due to suspension, but is straight back in against the Clarets fpr what is his 250th Premier League appearance.

Another player reaching a significant milestone this afternoon is skipper Declan Rice, who makes his 150th Premier League start against the same opposition he debuted against back on the final day of the 2016/17 season.

David Moyes makes three changes to the team which started in Lyon, with goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański and creator Nikola Vlašić joining Cresswell in returning to the XI.  Alphonse Areola, Vladimír Coufal and Pablo Fornals are the players who make way. All three are on the substitutes' bench.

It means Fabiański will likely start behind a back four of Ben Johnson, Craig Dawson, Issa Diop and Cresswell, with Rice and Tomáš Souček anchoring the midfield in front of them.

Croatia international Vlašić joins Manuel Lanzini and Jarrod Bowen in support of Michail Antonio up front – with the Jamaica frontman looking to add to his six career goals against the Clarets.

Caretaker Burnley manager Mike Jackson makes just one change from the 2-0 defeat at home to Norwich City as the visitors begin life after Sean Dyche, with Jack Cork replacing Josh Brownhill in central midfield.

 

West Ham United: Fabiański, Johnson, Dawson, Diop, Cresswell, Rice ©, Souček, Vlašić, Lanzini, Bowen, Antonio
Subs: Areola (GK), Coufal, Fredericks, Masuaku, Noble, Král, Fornals, Benrahma, Yarmolenko

 

Burnley: Pope, Lowton, Tarkowski ©, Collins, Taylor, McNeil, Cork, Westwood, Cornet, Weghorst, Rodriguez
Subs: Hennessey (GK), Brownhill, Barnes, Roberts, Stephens, Lennon, Bardsley, Vydra, Long

 

Referee: Paul Tierney