Daily WHUFC News II - 24th November 2017

West Ham United v Leicester City: All you need to know
WHUFC.com

David Moyes's first home match as West Ham United manager comes on Friday as
the Hammers welcome Leicester City to London Stadium.

Read on for all the information you need about this fixture, including team
news, quotes, and match history.

Where and when?

West Ham United v Leicester City will be played at London Stadium on Friday
24 November, with kick-off set for 8pm.

How to follow:

West Ham's clash with Leicester City will be live on Sky Sports across their
Premier League and Main Event channels.

Initial build up will begin on the Premier League channel at 7pm while Main
Event will start broadcasting at 7.30pm.
Live match updates will be provided through the official West Ham Twitter
account.
You can also follow the game live via our Matchday Blog on whufc.com.
You can also follow the match on our official Instagram, Facebook and
Snapchat channels.
Live audio coverage will also be provided by BBC Radio 5 Live.
Meet the opposition:
0:25

Team news:

David Moyes is yet to offer an update on his squad ahead of Friday's match.
The West Ham United manager's press-conference on Thursday afternoon will
likely provide insight as to which players are available.

Fans will look for updates on Marko Arnautovic, who came off last week
against Watford, and James Collins, who has been back in training after a
lengthy lay-off.

Team news for both the Hammers and Leicester City will be updated as soon as
the respective managers speak to the media.

Match Officials:

Referee: Martin Atkinson
Assistant Referees: Peter Kirkup & Constantine Hatzidakis
Fourth Official: Jonathan Moss

Last Five Meetings:
0:44

What they Say:
"We have to work hard for the next game and forget about the last one
because what happened, happened."
Pedro Obiang
How to get there:
There are four train stations that supporters are recommended to utilise to
reach London Stadium: Stratford Station, Stratford International, Hackney
Wick and Pudding Mill Lane.
By Underground

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Lanzini hails 'incredible' West Ham United supporters
WHUFC.com

Manuel Lanzini has hailed the "incredible" support of the West Ham United
fans ahead of Friday's Premier League contest with Leicester City. The Irons
return to action with the weekend's early fixture as David Moyes prepares
for his first match at London Stadium as West Ham manager, against the
Foxes. Over 50,000 loyal West Ham fans will pack into the Stadium to cheer
on the home side versus Leicester City, and Lanzini has said the players are
fully appreciative of the support they receive. The Argentinian maestro
promised the fans that the team is working hard to escape the relegation
zone and want to put smiles on their faces – starting against Leicester.
"The West Ham fans are incredible," Lanzini said. "They support us wherever
we go and they always cheer us on, even if things aren't going our way. "We
will give our absolute all to turn this around. As players, we are the first
people to be angry about our current situation. Where we are at the moment
is no good for anyone and none of us are happy. It's always a wonderful
feeling when you're making the fans happy. "The fans are a huge part of the
game. We try to do our best for ourselves and our families to get results,
but especially for the people and the fans that support us. We thank them
for their support."

Following the defeat at Watford captain Mark Noble confessed that the
confidence at West Ham was suffering slightly, a sentiment that Lanzini has
echoed. However, the No10 insists the hard work the team is putting in will
lead to positive results. He added: "At the moment the combination of our
performances and league position means our confidence is not at 100 per
cent. I think we need to keep things simple in the way we play in order to
increase our confidence.
"I have full belief in this team. We have some very good players here and
we're all working hard to implement the manager's ideas and to pick up more
points."

The 24-year-old also offered an insight into training under Moyes, who is
now in his third week in charge of the Hammers. Lanzini believes he and his
teammates are close to reaching what the West Ham boss is looking for in his
players. "We've been working on our intensity in games, and our link-up
play," Lanzini revealed. "We're trying to develop our game and his game all
together and I hope we can succeed. We're not far away from that. "It's down
to our intelligence as players in terms of being able to put into practice
what the coach wants from us. We are taking on his ideas and putting them
into practice, in terms of the intensity, and I think we are doing well."

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Hammers kick-off Stonewall Rainbow Laces campaign
WHUFC.com

West Ham United will kick-off the Stonewall Rainbow Laces campaign at
Friday's Premier League fixture with Leicester City at London Stadium. The
Hammers will be the first of the 92 Premier League and EFL clubs to support
the week-long initiative, which campaign to make football everyone's game,
with national teams, leading clubs, professional players, fans and
grassroots players from across football showing their support for LGBT
people in sport. The London Stadium adorned with a rainbow-branded ball
plinth, pitch flags, handshake and timing boards, while Mark Noble will wear
a rainbow-coloured captain's armband. Joint-Chairman David Sullivan says
West Ham are determined to ensure London Stadium remains a place where all
supporters can enjoy football in comfortable surroundings.
"We are proud to kick-off Stonewall's Rainbow Laces Week tonight and support
a cause that is very important to everyone at West Ham United," said Mr
Sullivan.
"We have an excellent relationship with our fantastic Pride of Irons
supporters' club, who help us ensure LGBT fans feel completely welcome at
London Stadium. I am sure every one of you will show your support this
evening."

Those sentiments were echoed by manager David Moyes. "We are proud to be
kicking-off Stonewall's Rainbow Laces Week this evening, which will be
helping promote a strong message across sport over the next seven days,"
said Moyes. "Football is a game for everyone, and I am sure you will all
agree it is important that absolutely nobody feels unwelcome when watching
or playing sport."

Jim Dolan is co-chairman of West Ham United's LGBT supporters' club Pride of
Irons and believes the Hammers are leading the way when it comes to creating
an inclusive environment, not only at London Stadium, but throughout the
Club. "West Ham is a Club that supports all of its fans and isn't just about
ticking boxes. Since the creation of Pride of Irons, the Club have been in
full support from sending Hammerhead to the London Pride Parade to asking us
to come in to the Club to provide training to Supporter Liaison Officers
around LGBT issues. "And for anyone who thinks we're isolating ourselves as
a group, that's not the case. Around a quarter of our members are straight
and all are invited to join. We want to create a supportive environment for
LGBT fans and their families which can only be achieved with acceptance and
support from every fan in the stands."

To find out more about the campaign and buy your own pair of Rainbow Laces
click here, then tweet a picture of you wearing them and tag @StonewallUK
and #RainbowLaces to show your support.

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Rainbow Laces: A message from Pride of Irons
WHUF.com

Pride of Irons co-chairman Jim Dolan says West Ham United are working
tirelessly to make LGBT supporters feel welcome at London Stadium...

Tonight's match marks the launch of the Stonewall Rainbow Laces campaign.
Initially created by an online betting site, the campaign has been adopted
by the LGBT charity Stonewall in partnership with the Premier League. But
what's it all about? What's it for? Simply, it is to highlight awareness of
LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) fans in football and to
highlight problems around homophobia – highlighted this season with the
promotion of Brighton & Hove Albion, who have notoriously received historic
homophobic abuse. Added to that, it's 2017 and we still don't have an out
footballer in the Premier League. Now we know they're there. We've had at
least two play for us. The first – although briefly – was Justin Fashanu,
who later tragically took his own life. More recently, Der Hammer – Thomas
Hitzlsperger – who chose to come out only just after retiring from the game.
There have also been several reports of gay players having discussions with
footballing authorities around what will happen should they come out.

So why aren't players able to? After all, in this day and age you'd think it
wasn't a big deal, right? LGBT people have all the same rights as everyone
else, so what's the problem? Players need to know that they have support in
the stands and LGBT fans need that support too. Although initiatives like
Rainbow Laces are good annual gestures, there's more to it than waving a
rainbow flag once a year. Acceptance in the stands is not the same as taking
part in a single event which some could say is a box-ticking exercise.
Fortunately, West Ham United is a Club that supports all of its fans and
isn't just about ticking boxes. Since the creation of Pride of Irons (West
Ham's official LGBT+ fan group) the club has been in full support, from
sending Hammerhead to the London Pride Parade to asking us to come in to the
club to provide training to SLOs (Supporter Liaison Officers) around LGBT
issues. And for anyone who thinks we're isolating ourselves as a group,
that's not the case. Around a quarter of our members are straight and all
are invited to join. We want to create a supportive environment for LGBT
fans and their families, which can only be achieved with acceptance and
support from every fan in the stands. One day we won't be talking about
Rainbow Laces and Pride of Irons won't exist, because homophobia will be
seen by the footballing community to be as abhorrent as racism is by most
today. But until that day, please join us and let your fellow fans know that
they are welcome, whatever their sexuality, gender, colour, race or level of
ability. Because we are all West Ham together.

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Hammers will go back to basics tonight - Cottee
WHUFC.com

West Ham United legend Tony Cottee believes West Ham United manager David
Moyes will go 'back to basics' in his first home game in charge. The Hammers
host Leicester City at London Stadium on Friday evening and Cottee, who also
played for the Foxes during his illustrious career, has called for unity
among the Claret and Blue Army.

Writing in the Official Programme, Cottee hopes his boyhood club will secure
the victory that will kick-start their 2017/18 Premier League season under
the Friday night lights...

Since arriving at the Club, David Moyes has spoken on a few occasions about
the imbalance in his squad. He said last week that he has four players who
all want to play on the left side in attack, while injuries and illness left
him light in certain areas last week. Much has also been made of the stats
showing that we are at the bottom for distance covered and other physical
levels, but the only statistic that really matters is the fact that we are
in the bottom three. It is obvious that we are not doing things as well as
we should be, both individually and as a team. The manager obviously
understands the position we are in but he can't make changes to personnel
until January, and we have ten games before then, so he needs to find a
solution that can grind out some results.
I think it is really a case of going back to basics, particularly in
defensive areas, and quickly finding a system and formation that the players
are happy and comfortable with. Make no mistake, we have some talented
players, but they are low on confidence at the moment, and the manager's job
is to lift that in any way he can. David is right in that it starts with
hard work on the training pitch.
The international break meant that he didn't get a chance to work with all
his players until just a couple of days before the Watford game, and I'm
sure he will have gained a lot more from training this week, with everyone
together and focused on what is needed this evening. This is a very good
counter-attacking Leicester team, it's how they won the Premier League, and
they still have a large percentage of that side at the club. I watched them
against Stoke a couple of weeks ago and you know what you are going to get.
They are very dangerous on the break and we have to be aware of that. We
can't afford to throw men forward gung-ho or play too high a line, because
one hoof forward and suddenly Jamie Vardy is away on goal. I'm sure David
and the players will have worked hard this week on what is required, and I
genuinely think we will be far better prepared to face Leicester than we
were to face Watford. The start to the game is going to be very important
and, as always, both players and supporters have a big role to play in that
sense. If the players begin with passion, high tempo and intensity, the
crowd will respond accordingly. Let's all hope this is the start of our
turnaround this season.

*Tony Cottee played 336 games for West Ham United between 1983 and 1996,
scoring 146 goals, and was voted Hammer of the Year in 1986

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Brady warns: We're not quitters
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 24th November 2017
By: Staff Writer

Vice-chair Karren Brady has reacted to calls for her to resign by announcing
"we are not quitters". Brady, who has been charged with overseeing the
botched move to Stratford used her column in a tabloid newspaper today to
warn fans that she and her employers, David Sullivan and David Gold, were
going nowhere. "At West Ham, none of us ever begin a season preparing
ourselves for a tough one," she wrote. "We all start the season brimming
with optimism, excited for what might lie ahead and the good times it may
bring. "We are all guilty of that and that's why it hurts us all so much to
be in the position we currently find ourselves. But that is when West Ham
supporters are historically at their best — and that is when David Sullivan,
David Gold and I are at our best. "We are not quitters and we are here to
honour our commitment and cement the long-term future of West Ham United FC.
We are here to see the children who became season-ticket holders last year,
grow up and bring their children to watch their first match at London
Stadium."
Brady also insisted that, despite claims to the contrary, she cared deeply
about the club - the running of which, she added, had required great
personal "sacrifice" from the two chairmen. "A quarter of a century in
football has ensured my chairmen, David Gold and David Sullivan, and I have
developed a thick skin for criticism," she added. "I have seen a lot of
people this week say we don't care and that couldn't be any further from the
truth. "David Sullivan and David Gold have given eight years of blood, sweat
and tears to help West Ham escape a very perilous situation upon our
arrival, make the club financially sustainable and realise an ambitious
stadium move, all of which have come with great challenges and sacrifice."

And in response to those who called for her dismissal last weekend at
Watford, she added: "For those who made their feelings known as loudly as
possible at Watford last week, we understand the frustration, we hear your
complaints and we really do care. "However, for 90 minutes tonight let's
all pull in the same direction and be West Ham. United."

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David Gold and David Sullivan will not quit West Ham, says Karren Brady
By Nick Lustig
Last Updated: 24/11/17 9:55am
SSN

Karren Brady insists West Ham co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold have
no intention of quitting the club, despite a certain section of fans calling
for them to sell following the Hammers' poor start to the season. West Ham
currently sit 18th in the Premier League, having won only two of their
opening 12 matches and tasted defeat in David Moyes' first match in charge
away at Watford last Sunday. Moyes subsequently called for West Ham to come
together as a club after fans protested against Gold and Sullivan's
ownership during the 2-0 loss at Vicarage Road, with a 'Sack The Board'
banner visible in the away end. Ahead of the Friday Night Football clash
against Leicester at London Stadium - live on Sky Sports Main Event &
Premier League HD - Brady insists she, Gold and Sullivan have no intention
of selling and are determined to turn the club's fortunes around. "We all
start the season brimming with optimism, excited for what might lie ahead
and the good times it may bring," Brady told The Sun. "We are all guilty of
that and that's why it hurts us all so much to be in the position we
currently find ourselves.
"But that is when West Ham supporters are historically at their best - and
that is when David Sullivan, David Gold and I are at our best. "We are not
quitters and we are here to honour our commitment and cement the long-term
future of West Ham United FC. "We are here to see the children who became
season-ticket holders last year, grow up and bring their children to watch
their first match at London Stadium. "But just one message for those who
made their feelings known as loudly as possible at Watford last week ... "We
understand the frustration, we hear your complaints and we really do care.
However, for 90 minutes tonight let's all pull in the same direction and be
West Ham United."

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David Moyes defends West Ham's Andy Carroll over aerial challenges
"We are in a country which wants to rule out simulation. But he stays up and
is hit by two people and gets zero protection"
Last Updated: 23/11/17 11:22pm
SSN

David Moyes has issued a staunch defence of Andy Carroll, arguing that the
West Ham striker warrants better treatment from referees over aerial
challenges.
Carroll has been involved in a series of incidents this season which have
raised debate over how he uses his arms to battle for possession but Moyes
believes there is no malicious intent from the 28-year-old. The former
Newcastle and Liverpool frontman was sent off against Burnley in October for
two yellow cards in quick succession following aerial battles and caught
Watford's Marvin Zeegelaar with his forearm last Sunday. "I think it's
becoming ridiculous," Moyes, who has argued that Carroll is often the
victim, said: "A couple of times people climbed over Andy and fouled him.
And all it was was, 'No that's OK, if it's Andy it's fine for that to go
on'. "Just before he was booked, he was scythed by two people. If it been
anyone else they would have gone down and taken a free-kick. Andy didn't.
"We are in a country which wants to rule out simulation. But he stays up and
is hit by two people and gets zero protection. "Every time Andy plays is
everyone going to say, 'That's a foul'? If they do then we've got to say now
that if you're six foot four you'd better go to basketball and stop being a
centre-forward. "I'm telling you, you can only jump with your arms for
leverage. It's my specialist subject. I was a centre-half. I needed to use
my arms for protection. If we are now saying you can't use your arms for
leverage then that isn't in the rules of football." Moyes has confirmed
Carroll will continue to lead the West Ham attack on Friday Night Football,
live on Sky Sports Premier League, despite an indifferent display during the
side's 2-0 defeat against Watford at Vicarage Road. The former Everton and
Manchester United manager has also admitted he will not shy away from making
his players aware if they are not reaching the heights he expects from them.
"I think players need to be told," he added. "I've told the players here, if
you're not doing it, I'm going to tell you. "I did also tell them that when
I stop shouting, you know you've got a problem. If I stop shouting at you,
you know I've given up on you."

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MATCH PREVIEW: WEST HAM V LEICESTER
By Dan Coker 24 Nov 2017 at 12:00
WTID

Blast from the past

New Year's Eve 1977 – Wings were number one with their double A-side
Christmas number one 'Mull of Kintyre/Girls' School', Star Wars was in UK
cinemas and, on the day which saw Bruce Forsyth step down as presenter of
The Generation Game after six years, the Hammers defeated the Foxes at Upton
Park in front of 25,355 spectators.


John McDowell (pictured) fired in a rasping drive for his only goal of the
season to give the Irons the lead. Derek Hales, sent clear by a Trevor
Brooking pass, made it two with his fifth goal in ten games to give the
hosts a 2-0 half-time lead.

David 'Psycho' Cross then scored his first ever goal in claret and blue,
getting on the end of Brooking's cross to score the first of his 97 goals
for West Ham United. The Hammers were 3-0 up but, typically for West Ham,
the game was not over – Steve Kember scored a freak goal from a cross which
looped over Bobby Ferguson to pull one back for the visitors. Scottish
goalkeeper Ferguson, playing in his first league game for 20 months, then
made a super save from a dipping shot by Roger Davies. Steve Sims added
another for Leicester with a looping header from a corner but the Hammers
held out to claim a 3-2 win and end 1977 on a happy note.

My video below shows all the goals from this game as well as Ferguson's save
and an interview with the former Hammers goalkeeper.



West Ham would go on to be relegated in a 1977/78 campaign that saw them
finish third from bottom, in 20th place, just one point behind QPR. Bryan
'Pop' Robson would be the Irons' top goalscorer with 11 goals in 41 matches
in 1977/78. Brooking was voted the Hammer of the Year and, for the only time
since 1961, there was no runner-up. The Foxes finished ten points behind the
Hammers, rooted to the bottom of the First Division table. Nottingham Forest
won the league and Ipswich won the FA Cup.

West Ham United: Bobby Ferguson, John McDowell, Billy Bonds, Tommy Taylor,
Frank Lampard, Alan Devonshire, Alan Curbishley, Trevor Brooking, Bryan
'Pop' Robson, Derek Hales, David Cross.

Leicester City: Mark Wallington, Tommy Williams (Steve Earle), Dave Webb,
Steve Sims, Dennis Rofe, Steve Kember, Jon Sammels, Eddie Kelly, George
Armstrong, Roger Davies, Billy Hughes.

Club Connections

Players who have represented both the Hammers and the Foxes include:

Goalkeepers: George Hebden, Colin Mackleworth.

Defenders: Gary Charles, Chris Powell, Dickie Pudan, Rufus Brevett, Paul
Konchesky, Dai Jones, Matthew Upson, Clive Clarke, Billy Oakes, Fred Milnes,
John Paintsil.

Midfielders: Andy Impey, Shaun Newton, Nolberto Solano, Franz Carr, Sid
Bishop.

Strikers: David Connolly, Albert Carnelly, Mike Newell, Brian Deane, Keith
Robson, David Speedie, Bertie Lyon, Paul Kitson, Norman Proctor, Les
Ferdinand, David Kelly, Tony Cottee, Jimmy Quinn.

Frank O'Farrell and Jimmy Bloomfield have played for the Hammers and managed
the Foxes.

Today's focus is on another who played for West Ham United and managed
Leicester City. Martin Allen was born in Reading on the 14th August 1965 and
started his professional career at QPR in 1984. Martin was born into the
famous footballing Allen family – the son of Dennis Allen (who played for
Reading, Charlton and Bournemouth), the nephew of Les and cousin of Paul,
Bradley and Clive. He played in the 1986 League Cup Final during his time at
Loftus Road before joining Lou Macari's West Ham United in the summer of
1989 for a fee of £670,000. He scored on his Hammers debut in a 3-2 home win
over Plymouth on 26th August 1989 and bagged another in his next appearance
at Upton Park in a 1-1 draw against Swindon. Allen scored an impressive 11
goals in 48 appearances in his first season with the club and also picked up
a red card in a League Cup quarter-final against Derby – it was Allen's
strike against Wimbledon that had booked the Hammers' place in the last
eight. He had gained a reputation as a midfielder with an eye for goal – his
combative nature in the middle of the park also lived up to his nickname,
'Mad Dog'.

Billy Bonds had taken over from Lou Macari midway through the 1989/90
campaign – Allen's goal at Middlesbrough had given Bonzo his first win as
Hammer manager. 1990/91 would see Allen spend more time as a substitute than
the previous season – he made 46 appearances but 12 of these were from the
bench. He scored five goals in this promotion-winning campaign – four came
in October 1990 with two in a League Cup second round second leg 2-2 draw at
Stoke and another double in a 2-1 home win over Charlton. His final goal of
the season was in the reverse match at Selhurst Park, Charlton's temporary
home, in a 1-1 draw.

The fateful First Division campaign of 1991/92 saw Allen spend a
considerable amount of time on the sidelines with an Achilles injury – he
scored two goals from 24 matches, both against Sunderland in a 3-2 FA Cup
fifth round replay defeat at Upton Park on 26th February 1992. Allen was a
key member of the 1992/93 promotion-winning side though, playing 44 matches
as he teamed up with new signing Peter Butler in midfield – the pair
provided a tough-tackling, no-nonsense approach which allowed wingers Kevin
Keen and Mark Robson to create for free-scoring Trevor Morley and Clive
Allen, Martin's cousin who had joined from Chelsea towards the end of the
previous campaign. 'Mad Dog' scored four goals – September strikes in a 2-1
home win over Watford and 3-1 triumph at Peterborough were followed by a
goal in a 6-0 smashing of Sunderland at Upton Park and another in a 4-0 home
victory over Brentford.

1993/94 saw 'Mad Dog' stamp his paws on the Premier League – he scored ten
goals in 34 matches. Most of his game time in the early months of the season
came from the bench and he only registered one goal before Christmas, in a
2-0 League Cup second round second leg win at Chesterfield. He won his place
back in January 1994 and scored three goals in as many matches – against
Watford in a 2-1 home win in the FA Cup third round, at Aston Villa in a 3-1
defeat and in a 3-3 home draw with Norwich – he kept his place in midfield
for the rest of the season as the Hammers consolidated their top-flight
status. A flurry of goals between March and May saw Allen bag six goals in
nine matches, including a delightful lofted effort over David James in a 2-1
home defeat to Liverpool and typical long-range efforts in a 2-1 home defeat
to Blackburn and 2-0 win at Arsenal. Although Ken Monkou did score an own
goal later in the 3-3 draw with Southampton on 7th May 1994, 'Mad Dog' holds
the distinction of being the last West Ham player to score in front of the
terraced North Bank having struck earlier in the second half of the game.

1994/95 saw Harry Redknapp take up the managerial reigns – Allen scored
twice in 33 appearances that season, in a 2-1 win at Chelsea and 2-0 home
win over Southampton, both in October 1994. Allen's final goal in claret and
blue came in a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest on 26th August 1995. His last
appearance for the club was four days later in a 1-1 draw with Tottenham at
Upton Park. After the death of his father Dennis, who used to watch Martin
from the West Stand at Upton Park, Allen decided it was too emotional to
play at Upton Park and left the club for Portsmouth in August 1995. He had
made 232 appearances for the club, scoring 35 goals. 33 of Mad Dog's 35
goals can be seen in my video below.



After two years at Fratton Park, Allen moved to Southend where he ended his
playing career in 1998. He began his managerial career as assistant to Alan
Pardew at his hometown club Readingand managed Barnet, Brentford and MK Dons
before getting the Leicester job in May 2007. Due to a strained relationship
with chairman Milan Mandaric, mainly revolving around player transfers,
Allen was only in charge for four games before leaving the club on 29th
August 2007. He won two, drew one and lost one of his matches with the
Foxes.

Now 52, Allen has since managed Cheltenham, Barnet (on three further
occasions), Notts County, Gillingham and Eastleigh.

Referee

The referee on Friday will be Martin Atkinson, who most recently refereed
our last Friday night match – the 3-0 home defeat to Brighton. He was also
in charge of our 4-0 opening weekend defeat at Manchester United on 13th
August. 2017/18 is Atkinson's 13th as a Premier League referee. Since West
Ham United achieved promotion back to the top flight in 2012 Atkinson has
refereed 19 of our league matches, officiating in nine wins for the Hammers,
two draws and eight defeats.

Atkinson also refereed the Hammers' FA Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford in
March 2016, when he turned down appeals for a penalty after Marcos Rojo
appeared to have tripped Dimitri Payet and failed to spot Bastian
Schweinstieger's block on Darren Randolph as Man Utd equalised late on. He
refereed last September's 4-2 home defeat to Watford and October's 1-0 win
at Crystal Palace, when he controversially sent off Aaron Cresswell for two
very harsh yellow cards in quick succession. His previous Hammers
appointments this calendar year were our 3-1 win at Middlesbrough in January
and our 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in April.

Possible line-ups

West Ham United have lost only three of their last 30 home matches against
Leicester stretching back to 1967, with 21 victories and 6 draws against the
Foxes in that time. David Moyes will be without Chicharito, Sam Byram, James
Collins, Jose Fonte and Michail Antonio. Marko Arnautovoic and Andre Ayew
are both available. Andy Carroll has gone 12 hours and 49 minutes without a
goal – spanning 10 games – since scoring against Hull on 1st April.

Leicester City manager Claude Puel will be without Robert Huth and Matty
James. Leicester failed to register an attempt on target in a Premier League
game for the first time in 13 months against Manchester City last weekend.
The Foxes could record three successive away victories in this fixture for
the first time. They had only won one of their 28 league visits to east
London prior to back-to-back victories in the past two seasons.

Possible West Ham United XI: Hart; Zabaleta, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell;
Kouyate, Noble, Obiang; Ayew, Lanzini; Carroll.

Possible Leicester City XI: Schmeichel; Simpson, Maguire, Morgan, Fuchs;
Iborra, Ndidi; Mahrez, Albrighton, Gray; Vardy.

Enjoy the game – Come On You Irons!

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Crystal Palace set to battle relegation-scrap rivals West Ham over transfer
of Harry Arter from Bournemouth
David Moyes wants the midfielder for the looming fight against the drop —
and so does counterpart Roy Hodgson
The Mirror
ByDarren Lewis
22:30, 23 NOV 2017

Crystal Palace are now rivalling West Ham's interest in Harry Arter. We
revealed a fortnight ago that the Hammers' new manager David Moyes is keen
on Bournemouth's Republic of Ireland international as he searches for more
mobility and bite in midfield. Rock-bottom Palace are in a similar position
to their 18th-placed London neighbours, with Roy Hodgson looking to freshen
up the squad he inherited from the sacked Frank de Boer in September when
the winter transfer window opens. Arter, 27, signed an improved four-year
contract in June – but a number of clubs are ready to test his commitment to
Bournemouth. Plucked from non-League Woking, Arter was among a core of Eddie
Howe signings central to the Cherries' sensational rise through all four
divisions to the Premier League since 2010.

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David Moyes hoping to unite West Ham fans after supporters chant against
Hammers board
ANDY SIMS
ES Sport

David Moyes is desperate to give West Ham's supporters something to shout
about other than their anti-board chants. The Hammers fans vented their
anger at joint-chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold, and vice-chair Karren
Brady, during the 2-0 defeat at Watford last Sunday. They remain unhappy
about the move from Upton Park to the former Olympic Stadium as well as some
dire displays which have left West Ham in the relegation zone. New boss
Moyes will oversee his first game at the London Stadium when they host
Leicester on Friday night, and he hopes a decent performance will get the
fans back on side. "I've been there a couple of times this week and it's
brilliant," he said. "We are going to be there for the next 100 years. "When
teams move to stadiums it can be difficult - it wasn't that easy for Arsenal
at the Emirates - but we need to get used to winning there. "We need to give
the supporters something to shout about and something that looks half
decent, and then they will support us. "I want everyone to be together. I am
not aware of the problems before I came, I was a bit surprised when I heard
(the board criticism). "I want them behind us to give us a chance of
winning."

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