Nigeria’s duo of Odion Ighalo and Victor Moses will be on the opposing side as West Ham United will be hoping to continue their impressive start to the season when they host Watford in the Premier League on Saturday (today).
Ighalo’s Watford host the Hammers as Moses returns to their line up after missing last weekend’ visit to Stamford Bridge due to transfer rules.
The Hammers are just two points off the top of the table, but face a Watford side fresh from their first win in four outings in the top flight.
After a run of three matches without a win, Quique Flores saw his side secure a 2-0 win over Stoke City last weekend, lifting the Hornets up to 13th in the Premier League table ahead of this weekend’s games.
The win at the Britannia, which was Watford’s third victory of the season, also saw club captain, Troy Deeney, open his account for the season, having failed to find the back of the net in the opening nine games.
The striker netted 21 goals in the team’s promotion-winning 2014-15 campaign.
The manager has been heaping praise on Deeney in the build-up to this match, highlighting his leadership in the dressing room as well as his performances on the pitch.
Two of the club’s three wins have come away from Vicarage Road, with the team securing just one victory from their five matches at home so far this season.
Despite sitting in the bottom half of the table, Watford have one of the strongest defences in the top flight so far this season, conceding just 10 goals while keeping four clean sheets.
Only four sides have let in fewer, while the same number have more clean sheets.
It has been down the other end of the pitch that Watford have struggled though, scoring just eight goals in the league – the joint fewest in the top flight – five of which have been scored by Ighalo.
Slaven Bilic’s side extended their unbeaten run in the Premier League to seven matches with a 2-1 win over Chelsea at Upton Park last weekend.
The Hammers have been aided by red cards for their opponents in their last three outings, but the run has left the team able to finish Saturday at the top of the table, depending on the results of the two sides above them.
The team remains unbeaten away from home so far this season, with wins in four of their five matches away from Upton Park.
Leicester City and Southampton are the only other sides yet to lose in an away fixture.
Summer signing Dimitri Payet has been praised for his performances since moving to the Premier League from Marseille, scoring five goals and recording three assists in 10 league appearances for West Ham.
Despite his side’s run in the first couple of months of the 2015-16 campaign, Bilic has insisted that the team still need to improve, particularly in front of goal.
Despite Bilic’s concerns, West Ham have scored 22 goals in the Premier League this season – only league leaders Manchester City, who were beaten by the Hammers last month, have scored more.
Defending has not been as strong, though, with the team keeping just three clean sheets while letting in 13 goals.
Watford possible starting lineup: Gomes, Nyom, Cathcart, Britos, Ake, Watson, Capoue, Anya, Deeney, Abdi, Ighalo.
West Ham United possible starting lineup: Adrian, Jenkinson, Tomkins, Collins, Cresswell, Noble, Kouyate, Zarate, Payet, Sakho, Carroll.