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There will have been an element of soul searching in the West Ham camp over the last week.

Last Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at Tottenham may not have been entirely unexpected, but the manner of the second-half collapse left everyone scratching their heads a little bit.

A question mark still remains over the exact style of play Julen Lopetegui wants to play at West Ham but there some positive moments in the London derby that suggested things have the potential to click eventually.

But there are still huge concerns over the consistency and overall ability in this squad to execute what the Spaniard wants each week.

This weekend we host a Manchester United side which is experiencing similar issues under Erik ten Hag, so this fixture has a real element of intrigue. Will it click for either side? Will it be display of sheer tactical carnage? Can either side get a very, very much needed three points?

Mohammed Kudus is the obvious big miss for the Hammers as he begins a three game suspension after his red card against Spurs. So aside from him and Fullkrug remaining sidelined with a calf injury, Lopetegui has a full strength squad to pick from.

I expect the back four to remain the same as it has done for the last few weeks. Jean-Clair Todibo and Max Kilman are creating a really impressive centre-back partnership and should keep their places. There has been some criticism aimed towards Aaron Wan-Bissaka of late, who has been caught out of position on a number of occasions, but I also expect him to keep his place to face his former club on Sunday.

I do think Lopetegui should make a change in midfield, with Edson Alvarez coming in for Guido Rodriguez, who did admittedly have a good game against Spurs. Man United can be physical and quick in midfield, so having a more experienced and physical Premier League midfielder in there could be crucial. Rodriguez is improving each week but still looks quite slow out of possession, which could prove to be an issue this weekend.

The rest of the side will likely remain unchanged, aside from Crysencio Summerville coming in for the suspended Kudus. Summerville has looked bright when called upon so far this season, so this is a great opportunity for the Dutchman to show what he’s capable of from the start. We need someone in attack to show real intent and danger going forward and there will be a lot of focus on whether Summerville can provide that in Kudus’ absence.

So, this is the West Ham XI I’m predicting Lopetegui will go with against Man United on Sunday…

West Ham predicted XI v Man United

What do you think?