West Ham rising stars in line for rare starts after Moyes decision – pundit
Noel Whelan has tipped David Moyes to hand some West Ham youngsters a start against Dinamo Zagreb after securing top spot in their Europa League group with a game to spare.
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, suggested some more senior players may need a rest heading into the busy festive period.
The Irons ensured they will finish top of Group H after beating Rapid Vienna 2-0 last week.
Moyes named a strong starting XI in Austria but did hand 17-year-old Sonny Perkins his senior debut from the bench.
With nothing to play for a week Thursday (9 December), Whelan suggested Perkins and other young talents are likely to start.
Asked if he thought some fringe and young players would be handed a runout against Dinamo Zagreb, Whelan told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “Absolutely.
“It will come at a good time. There are lots of Premier League games for the first team which will take its toll.
“It might be an opportunity to blood some of these younger players into that match. It’s all very rosy over at West Ham, it really is.
“They breezed through the qualification stages in Europe. That is after getting in for the first time in I can’t remember how many years.
“They have just left their standards there every single game. Their standards, that hard work ethic, the quality that they bring, that winning mentality.
“It’s not easy to do, to play in Europe and in the Premier League and put in those kinds of performances. To be in that respectable position in the Premier League as well and breeze through Europe.
“It couldn’t have gone any better for David Moyes.”
West Ham face Brighton and Chelsea before playing Dinamo.
They will then go on a gruelling run of seven games in 20 days between December 12th and January 1st.
In other news, West Ham tipped to seal £25million striker signing after Daniel Kretinsky reveal.