FA Cup progress and the prospect of a run to distract from their Premier League malaise are the prizes on offer for West Ham when they go Brentford on Saturday, but for David Moyes’s fringe players, the shape of the second half of the season is on the line, too.
Moyes has built a large squad designed to withstand the demands of domestic and European competition, making eight new signings in the summer after watching his fatigued side left running on fumes towards the end of last season.