West Ham should not have needed too much picking up on their journey back from Anfield last Sunday, having given another decent account of themselves, despite a 3-1 defeat by in-form Liverpool.
Still, news of Newcastle’s 8-0 demolition of Saturday’s opponents Sheffield United would have lifted spirits quickly.
By the end of a chastening afternoon, the Blades were not doing even mannequins justice, with their hapless defending, the resolve that had tested the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham already this term broken by the humiliating flow of Toon goals. But it was Newcastle’s set-piece potency, and the home side’s inability to keep a lid on it, that had cracked the game open from the outset.
That will be music to West Ham ears, James Ward-Prowse’s summer arrival having had the unsurprising effect of returning the Hammers’ own corner and free-kick threat to its former glory under David Moyes.
Sheffield United have conceded four times from set-pieces this term, the most of any side in the division, and while the Hammers have scored only twice themselves, the eye test has shown a team who will no doubt run up the score on that front as the season progresses, players such as Nayef Aguerd, Tomas Soucek and Kurt Zouma already relishing the raised standard of service.
Vladimir Coufal, too, will have been watching events at Bramall Lane with interest piqued as Newcastle right-back Kieran Trippier racked up a hat-trick of assists. Not known for his attacking end product, Coufal has set-up fine team goals with inch-perfect crosses in his past two League outings, unlocking Liverpool and Manchester City defences.
For each of those games, Moyes opted to pack his midfield, sending out his side in a 4-1-4-1 formation, but could look to up the ante by sacrificing the industrious Soucek, despite his goal at Lincoln in midweek, and handing a first League start to summer signing Mohammed Kudus.
Ward-Prowse, Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen were among seven players spared the trip north and will come straight back in.
