Gianluca Scamacca starts as David Moyes makes six changes for the second leg of West Ham United’s UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16 tie against AEK Larnaca on Thursday evening.
The Hammers head to London Stadium with a two-goal advantage thanks to a Michail Antonio double in Cyprus, with Ben Johnson, Angelo Ogbonna, Aaron Cresswell, Manuel Lanzini and Pablo Fornals the other changes from a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday.
Seeking his fifth goal in Europe in 2022/23, Scamacca is set for his first start in all competitions since netting the equaliser in the 2-2 draw against Leeds United in January.
Emerson, Thilo Kehrer, Nayef Aguerd, Saïd Benrahma and Danny Ings make way as the Irons aim to book a place in consecutive European quarter-finals, with Ogbonna named as skipper as club captain Declan Rice also drops to the bench.
Looking for their tenth win in Europe this season, Alphonse Areola makes his fourth successive start for the Hammers, with Łukasz Fabiański still sidelined due to injury. Goalkeepers Joseph Anang and Kristian Hegyi are named in the squad.
Alongside the returning Cresswell, Johnson and Ogbonna is Kurt Zouma, the only player to retain their spot in the back four from the Club’s weekend action.
West Ham’s most-capped player in Europe, Fornals returns to the starting XI and will lead the support of Scamacca alongside Jarrod Bowen and Lanzini. Paquetá and Tomáš Souček complete the midfield.
The Academy of Football is well represented in the matchday squad with midfielder Freddie Potts and striker Divin Mubama included – both of whom featured in the Irons’ 3-0 win over FCSB in November. 19-year-old defender Levi Laing is also part of the substitutes’ bench and would make his senior debut should he feature tonight.
Senior internationals Rice, Benrahma and Aguerd are also part of a strong bench, with Ings also pressing for a first European appearance in Claret & Blue. The 30-year-old forward would feature in a third European competition, having represented Liverpool in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Champions League.
Maxwel Cornet will also be looking to play in a third successive match from the bench having made his Premier League return against Villa.
West Ham United: Areola, Johnson, Zouma, Ogbonna ©, Cresswell, Souček, Paquetá, Lanzini, Bowen, Fornals, Scamacca
Subs: Hegyi (GK), Anang (GK), Aguerd, Benrahma, Cornet, Ings, Kehrer, Emerson, Rice, Laing, Mubama, Potts
AEK Larnaca: Pirić, Casas, Tomović, Gonzalez ©, Englezou, Ledes, Sanjurjo, Mamas, Jakoliš, Nikolić, Naoum
Subs: Toumpas (GK), Stylianidis (GK), Tričkovski, Faraj, Lopes, Miličević, Rosales, Pons, Christoforou, H.Andreou, Altman
Referee: Georgi Kabakov (BUL)
