Gameweek 23 kicks off with a bang—or rather, a whisper—as West Ham United host Sunderland at 12:30 PM GMT, a stark contrast to the impending chaos surrounding Manchester City’s team announcement. But here’s where it gets intriguing: Granit Xhaka, the Swiss midfield stalwart and one of only four Fantasy midfielders to start every game this season, is sidelined due to injury. And this is the part most people miss—his absence could significantly shift the dynamics on the pitch, with Eliezer Mayenda stepping in to fill his boots. This is the only change from Gameweek 22 for Sunderland, who also welcome back Habib Diarra and Chemsdine Talbi from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), though they’ll start on the bench.
West Ham, fresh off a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, keep their lineup unchanged, with El Hadji Malick Diouf returning from AFCON but settling for a substitute role. Ollie Scarles retains his spot at left-back, while Lucas Paqueta’s absence was confirmed by manager Nuno Espirito Santo earlier in the week. Controversially, some fans are already questioning whether Xhaka’s absence will cost Sunderland dearly, or if Mayenda can rise to the occasion.
This fixture is a rematch of the season’s opening weekend, where Sunderland thrashed West Ham 3-0 on their home turf. Will history repeat itself, or can the Hammers flip the script? Here are the lineups:
West Ham XI: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Mavropanos, Scarles, Soucek, Fernandes, Bowen, Pablo, Summerville, Castellanos.
Subs: Hermansen, Walker-Peters, Kilman, Ward-Prowse, Wilson, Diouf, Magassa, Potts, Kante.
Sunderland XI: Roefs, Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Reinildo, Hume, Sadiki, Le Fee, Mundle, Mayenda, Brobbey.
Subs: Patterson, O’Nien, Geertruida, Cirkin, Rigg, Diarra, Adingra, Isidor, Talbi.
Thought-provoking question: With Xhaka out, does this open the door for West Ham to dominate midfield, or will Sunderland’s reshuffled lineup prove just as formidable? Share your thoughts in the comments—this could be the game that sparks heated debates!
