David Moyes spoke to the press ahead of his final match as West Ham United manager at title-chasing Manchester City.
Moyes addressed the media on Friday afternoon (17 May) for the final time as the club’s manager, following a stint in which he has propped the team in a great direction.
West Ham are certain to finish ninth in the Premier League, but could have a huge bearing on the title race.
Regarding team news, Nayef Aguerd and Konstantinos Mavropanos are both set to miss out, which could see Kurt Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna continue their partnership in the centre of defence.
Kalvin Phillips has returned to parent club Manchester City, meanwhile, after sustaining an injury.
The match could be Ogbonna’s last for West Ham, as well as that of Lucas Paqueta, who has been heavily tipped to join Pep Guardiola at City.
Alphonse Areola is in line to start in goal after being called up to France’s final Euro 2024 squad, and the travelling party is likely to include youngsters Divin Mubama, Kaelan Casey and George Earthy, who scored his first Premier League goal last week against Luton Town and could be handed a first start.
“We’ve prepared well, and we’re looking forward to it,” Moyes said to conclude his final presser.
Will West Ham United grab an unlikely result at the Etihad?Moyes and the West Ham players will know the stars have to align for any hope of a result at the Etihad, despite the controversial 75-per-cent chance Opta has calculated for a Manchester City win.
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal will know it too, as they take on Everton at the Emirates, looking to win and hope they’ve bettered City’s result.
Pep Guardiola has been utilising his usual ‘mind games’, playing down his side’s perceived certainty and claiming Arsenal can easily be champions.
West Ham have to sit tight, stay organised and be workhorses throughout, in the hope that they can be clinical with the opportunities at goal that may come their way.
A lot of Hammers fans appear blase about the encounter, with their side marooned in ninth and just content with a wave goodbye to Moyes – and potentially a few players.
There’s a fair chance that by half an hour into Sunday’s final games we know which way things are going.
