West Ham are almost back at full strength for tonight's crunch Europa League clash with Freiburg.
The Hammers have already qualified for the knockout stages of the competition, but need a point at home against the German side this evening to confirm top spot in Group A.
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That would have the bonus of sending David Moyes’s team straight into the last 16 as one of the top seeds, sparing the nightmare of an extra two-legged play-off tie against a club dropping out of the Champions League in the New Year.
The Scot has been worried about fatigue among his players in recent games, blaming the hectic schedule for a lifeless showing in Sunday’s 5-0 defeat at Fulham.
The Hammers missed Edson Alvarez through illness for that contest, while Emerson was only well enough to come off the bench, and Moyes subsequently gave his players two days off at the start of this week in the hope of stopping the bug’s spread.
"We've had a few people with a bit of illness, but that's all I can give you,” Moyes said on Wednesday afternoon.
"The scheduling we've had has been difficult and there's not much time available this time of year. Any chance we can give players to have some time to themselves, we're going to do that.
“We've still got a few lingering in terms of the sickness, but I think we're going to be okay.”
Alvarez and Emerson are both back in the starting XI tonight, though captain Kurt Zouma is only a substitute with Konstantinos Mavropanos starting alongside Nayef Aguerd in central defence instead.
Goalkeeper Alphonse Areola is fit enough for the bench after a wrist issue as Lukasz Fabianski continues in goal, but Michail Antonio remains out with a knee injury.
West Ham XI: Fabianski, Coufal, Mavropanos, Aguerd, Emerson, Ward-Prowse, Alvarez, Kudus, Soucek, Paqueta, Bowen
Subs: Areola, Ogbonna, Zouma, Kehrer, Fornals, Ings, Cresswell, Benrahma, Cornet, Mubama, Coventry, Johnson
Injured: Antonio
Time and date: 8pm GMT on Thursday December 14, 2023
Venue: London Stadium
