David Moyes’ West Ham United are getting ready for a massive six-pointer against fellow relegation rivals Southampton on Sunday, April 2. With both teams marooned in the drop zone, a win could see either club make a major step toward safety.
West Ham have just two injury doubts for their upcoming game against the Saints. Both Lukasz Fabianski and Michail Antonio are doubts, as they continue to recover from their respective injuries. They could be ready to play against Southampton, but it’s unlikely that either of them will play the full 90 minutes.
The last time West Ham played Southampton in the Premier League came all the way back in October, resulting in a 1-1 draw. The Saints took the lead early on, but the Hammers’ star man, Declan Rice, managed to salvage a point with a goal in the second half.
West Ham are currently 18th in the Premier League table, after a distinctly disappointing campaign. However, with two games in hand over several of their bottom-half rivals, staying up is still firmly within the Irons’ hands.
It will be interesting to see if David Moyes selects Italian hitman Gianluca Scamacca for this game as the striker does not seem to have had much of a run in the side due to injuries and form but he could fire the Hammers to safety given the chance.
Not many teams have had worse seasons than West Ham in England’s top division this year – but Southampton are one of them. The Saints are bottom of the Premier League table – nevertheless, they are far from finished, with just two points between them and the club in 17th (Leicester City).
All told, it has been a rough campaign for the Hammers. They must now focus on staying in the Premier League – relegation to the Championship could have disastrous consequences.