West Ham United vs Everton: Premier League Preview, Gameweek 21, 2023

The London Stadium will be the scene of a battle between two out-of-form relegation candidates as West Ham United host Everton.

The Hammers sit 18th, with fans frustrations growing as their side face the drop. Manager, David Moyes' future has been uncertain too due to his side's underwhelming performances so far this campaign.

The Irons have only won once in their last eleven Premier League outings and lost their last game by a single goal to relegation threatened Wolves.

Their opponents are not having the best season either, with Everton sitting one place below in 19th.

Tempers flared at Goodison last weekend as the Toffees fumbled a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1 to Southampton thanks to a James Ward Prowse brace.

Post-match there was a sit-in protest aimed at the board, but things turned sour as players were confronted in their cars within close proximity of the ground.

The Blues have only taken one point from their last six games and are showing no sign of a resurrection for the second half of the season.

This weekend's fixture is crucial to both sides, with jobs on the line and fans quickly losing patience.

Team News

West Ham United:

Alphonse Areola sustained an injury in training at the start of January that has side-lined him since. However, the Frenchman could make his return this weekend.

Maxwel Cornet is still being assessed following a leg injury.

Everton:

Andros Townsend (ACL) has been ruled out of the tie and is scheduled to return in February.

Nathan Patterson will miss the Premier League encounter due to picking up a knee injury. The defender is set to be fit in mid-February.

Summer signing, James Garner (back) will not be available for the match.

Likely Line-ups

West Ham United:

(4-3-3) Fabianski, Cresswell, Ogbonna, Aguerd, Coufal, Soucek, Paqueta, Rice, Benrahma, Bowen, Antonio.

Everton:

(4-3-3) Pickford, Coleman, Godfrey, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Iwobi, Onana, Gueye, Gordon, Maupay, Gray.

Key Players

Declan Rice (West Ham United)

The West Ham skipper leads by example and showcased his capabilities for his nation in Qatar.

Despite his club not hitting the same heights as they did last season when they took the Europa League by storm, Rice has been a constant performer in an unimpressive eleven.

The defensive midfielder assists the backline of defence greatly and has the ability to break up the opposition's waves of attack and dispossess his opposite number in the middle of the park.

A natural carrier of the ball, the Englishman can transform defence into attack instantly, and has an eye for goal when allowed forward.

Rice has been an ever-present under Moyes and has featured in all 19 Premier League games for the Hammers this season.

Still only 24 years of age, Rice is destined to have a wonderful career, wherever he ends up.

Declan Rice in action (Photo by Rob Newell/CameraSport via Getty Images)

Amadou Onana (Everton)

Amadou Onana arrived in the Summer carrying huge expectations on his shoulders.

The 21-year-old has bags of potential and has impressed on Merseyside since making the switch from Lille.

The Belgian is an energetic ball-winner who can drive forward, and scored his first goal in a blue shirt in last week's 2-1 home defeat to Southampton after heading home from a Demarai Gray corner.

A specialist in regaining possession and kick-starting offensive play, Onana has been a real positive in a season riddled with dismay for Everton.

Born in Senegal, the midfielder chose to represent Belgium at international level. He travelled to Qatar for the World Cup but returned home early due to Belgium's disappointing tournament.

The midfield head-to-head with Rice will be one to watch as whoever comes out on top will be sure to dictate the game.