West Ham United and Gent square off in the second leg of their Europa Conference League quarter-final, with both teams are optimistic about moving forward in the competition.
Team Form
West Ham United
West Ham received a favorable draw for the Europa Conference League, but manager David Moyes remained cautious of their opponents, Gent, who was in excellent form.
His concerns were justified as the Belgian side put intense pressure on West Ham throughout the game, resulting in a hard-fought 1-1 draw.
However, Moyes can now breathe a sigh of relief following their 2-2 draw against Arsenal, which places them four points above the relegation zone.
The recent results have provided Moyes and his team with much-needed momentum to focus on progressing further in the competition.
West Ham has an impressive track record of 11 undefeated matches in continental competitions, giving them a strong platform to build upon.
West Ham United Form (All Competitions): W L W D D
Gent
Gent has had a mixed run since the start of the group stages, with just four victories, three losses, and a narrow win on penalties against Qarabag FK in the last 32.
Their momentum has been somewhat slowed down by successive draws against Union SG and Mechelen in the Jupiler Pro League. However, they still occupy the final Championship playoff spot, indicating they can perform strongly when required.
Despite their somewhat inconsistent form, there is a sense that Hein Vanhaezebrouck’s side could be the surprise package in the competition. They demonstrated their quality by convincingly beating Istanbul Basaksehir in the last 16 and showed their potential in the first leg against West Ham.
Gent Form (All Competitions): W W D D D
Squad Report
West Ham United
As West Ham prepares for the return fixture against Gent, the absence of Angelo Ogbonna due to a one-match ban will be a significant blow to the team.
However, the return of Kurt Zouma to the defense should provide some much-needed stability for the Hammers.
Gent
Gent manager Hein Vanhaezebrouck made several changes to his team during the weekend’s fixtures. He is expected to opt for a similar lineup to the first leg against West Ham, given that there are no injury concerns.
West Ham United’s expected starting lineup:
Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Palmieri; Rice, Downes, Paqueta; Benrahma, Ings, Bowen
Gent expected starting lineup:
Roef; Torunarigha, Okumu, Piatkowski; Castro-Montes, Kums, De Sart, Fofana; Hong; Cuypers, Orban
Head to Head
The forthcoming match between West Ham and Genk will mark the fourth time the two sides have come up against each other.
Interestingly, the Hammers have remained undefeated in all three previous meetings, securing one win and two draws.
Time, Date & Venue
Date: Thursday, April 20
Time: 08:00 pm, BST
Venue: London Stadium, London
Prediction
Despite facing criticism recently, West Ham has been performing well, and their recent record reflects this.
Moreover, they have remained undefeated in this competition, highlighting their strength and potential to go further in the tournament.
