West Ham XI vs Luton: Starting lineup, confirmed team news and injury latest today
The new Hammers signing has not been preferred to Said Benrahma in replacing Tomas Soucek in the starting XI.
Hammers boss David Moyes has confirmed the Czech midfielderās absence for the game at Kenilworth Road due to top-flight concussion protocols after he picked up a head injury in last weekās win over Brighton.
Benrahma replaced Soucek off the bench in that game and was always the most likely candidate to step into the starting line-up against Luton, which sees Lucas Paqueta shifted back into the centre of midfield.
Centre-back Nayef Aguerd also comes into the XI after serving a one-game suspension for his red card against Chelsea. New signing Konstantinos Mavropanos is not fit to make his debut yet after carrying a couple of knocks.
James Ward-Prowse will continue in the West Ham team and earned special praise from Moyes ahead of the game, despite missing out on a recall to the England squad on Thursday.
āOne of the reasons we brought him here was his Premier League experience,ā said the manager. āHe’s come in and settled in really well for us. He has scored goals and created goals for us already and we’re really happy with him.ā
West Ham XI: Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson; Ward-Prowse, Alvarez, Paqueta; Bowen, Antonio, Benrahma
Subs: Fabianski, Kehrer, Cresswell, Ogbonna, Fornals, Cornet, Ings, Kudus, Mubama
Injured: Soucek
Not yet match fit: Mavropanos
Time and date: 8pm BST, Friday September 1, 2023
Venue: Kenilworth Road
