West Ham United

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West Ham will assess the fitness of the recently ill Emerson, as well as Nayef Aguerd and Gianluca Scamacca, who are nursing minor injuries.

Lukasz Fabianski and Michail Antonio are back in training, while Vladimir Coufal played for Czech Republic on his comeback from a heel injury.

Armel Bella-Kotchap will miss out for Southampton because of the recurrence of a shoulder problem.

Mohammed Salisu and Che Adams missed midweek internationals through injury.

Both players are being monitored.

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Who do you think will make Southampton's line-up?

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West Ham manager David Moyes says his side are "ready" to get themselves out of the relegation battle.

"I've not worked it out [how many points we will need to stay up]," he said. "Nine or 10 teams are involved at the bottom and we have to work a way of being safe come the end of the season - and I'm sure we will be.

"We've got nine games in April and a lot of them at home, so it'll take a lot from the players, and anything from the supporters will hopefully add to the players' effort.

"I think they're ready, we're in a good frame of mind and will pick up the points we need to not be at the bottom end of the table."

There are currently just four points between 12th-placed Crystal Palace and 20th-placed Southampton - the fewest amount of points ever separating the bottom nine teams in the Premier League at this stage of a season.

Moyes, who is in his second spell with the east London side, acknowledged that teams have normally "broken away" at this point of the campaign.

"We've not had so many teams fighting it out, but there is very little difference between a lot of teams aside from the three or four outstanding teams," added Moyes.

"Getting wins at the start of the season can make a difference, but we didn't and we paid the price and we're trying to make up for that."

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David Moyes has been speaking to the media before West Ham’s game with Southampton on Sunday.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On team news, Moyes said there is some "illness and a couple of injuries", with Emerson Palmieri, Nayef Aguerd and Gianluca Scamacca all doubts for the weekend.

• Discussing their position in the table, he feels his team "are ready" to get themselves to safety, adding: "We're in a good frame of mind and will pick up the points we need to not be at the bottom end of the table."

• On the run-in and fight against relegation, Moyes said: "We're into a really important stage of the season with lots of games and three in six days, so we need to be focused, take that and get everything we can from them."

• He added: "Getting wins at the start of the season can make a difference, but we didn't and we paid the price and we're trying to make up for that."

• When asked about the threat of James Ward-Prowse and Southampton he praised the midfielder, but added: "I plan to cause Southampton problems and worry about doing that."

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The four points separating Crystal Palace and Southampton is the least amount between the teams in 12th and 20th at this stage of a Premier League season.

Data specialists Nielsen's Gracenote has studied the stats and calculated a percentage chance of relegation for each team, based on their remaining fixtures.

Gracenote says 39 points will be enough to guarantee top-flight survival.

Check out the graph below...

Read the breakdown for each team and give your prediction here

For this week's Premier League predictions Chris Sutton faces DMA'S frontman and Everton fan Tommy O'Dell.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

West Ham are in trouble and really need to win this game but I keep thinking things will click for them and it hasn't happened so far.

The atmosphere is going to be so nervy and that will suit Southampton who, along with Leicester, are one of only two top-flight teams to have picked up more points away than they have done at home this season.

That away form will give Saints some belief and, with James Ward-Prowse in their side, they have such a weapon from free-kicks. They are bottom so they are under pressure but the real pressure on Sunday will be on the Hammers.

David Moyes said the video assistant referee "needed to go to Specsavers" after some important decisions went against his team when these two sides drew 1-1 at St Mary's Stadium in October - including what he called a "judo move" by a Southampton defender inside their box.

This time it is going to be just as close and even a draw might not be enough to save Moyes.

He definitely needs the big calls to go his way this time, otherwise he could end up on the wrong end of a karate move - and get the chop.

Tommy's prediction: 1-1

Another draw, like Forest against Wolves - I just feel like a few of these games between the bottom sides will end up even.

Find out what Sutton and O’Dell predicted for the rest of the weekend's games and cast your vote

Declan Rice is not a target for Bayern Munich and the German giants did not hold a meeting with the West Ham midfielder's representatives last week. (Sky Sports Germany), external

The Hammers are likely to part company with manager David Moyes at the end of the season, regardless of whether they avoid relegation. (90min), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Image source, Getty Images

Mia Claydon, Green Street Hammers, external

Ben Johnson – although this could be said about a lot of current Hammers players. He appears to be playing without confidence and, since his injury return, he has been complacent on the ball, gifting possession away or playing backwards.

This is frustrating for fans of a team in desperate need of goals. Also, Johnson has been poor defensively and lucky to get away with challenges in the box several times.

Prior to his injury, the Young Lion was approaching his best form and had seemed to eliminate our full-back concerns. Given he was called up for the England Under-21s recently, this will hopefully be the boost he needs to get back to his best.

Read the full piece here

West Ham midfielder Declan Rice is Arsenal's top target this summer and there is growing confidence they can beat competition from Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United to sign the England international. (Evening Standard), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

• West Ham have lost just one of their past 10 Premier League games against Southampton, though that was a 3-2 defeat in this fixture last season.

• Southampton are looking to win consecutive league visits to West Ham for the first time since April 1992 - they had lost four in a row at the Hammers before last season's victory.

• Sides starting the day bottom of the Premier League have won 11 league matches this season, four more than the whole of last term, and the most in a campaign in the competition since 2017-18 (12).

• No other sides have kept fewer clean sheets in the Premier League this season than Saints (four) and West Ham (five). For the Hammers, five clean sheets is their fewest at this stage of a top-flight season since 2018-19 under Manuel Pellegrini (four).

BBC Radio 5 Live will bring you four Premier League commentaries this week.

Saturday, 1 April

• Arsenal v Leeds (15:00)

• Chelsea v Aston Villa (17:30)

Sunday, 2 April

• West Ham v Southampton (14:00)

• Newcastle v Manchester United (16:30)

All kick-off times BST

Manager David Moyes and his West Ham coaches fear they will be dismissed if the Hammers lose to relegation rivals Southampton on Sunday. (Mail), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Image source, Reuters

While many Premier League players have been on duty with their national teams over the past week or so, others have had the chance to recharge during the international break - which can be invaluable towards the end of a long campaign.

"It makes a big difference," said striker Callum Wilson, who went to Dubai on a training camp with Newcastle after missing out on England selection.

"You give so much in the season and there comes a point where sometimes you have a bit of a dip, mentally and physically, and you probably need a bit of a boost to get you through to the end of the season. It is a long season, especially when there’s a World Cup in there as well.

"A little week like that is perfect; training, sun, a bit of relaxation, a chance to switch off from football for a few days, and then you feel like you’re ready to go again."

Speaking on The Footballer's Football Podcast, West Ham forward Michail Antonio added: "It does make a difference for the body because playing football does take a toll on the body.

"There are positives and negatives. The negatives are when you’re playing well, you want to keep going and keep on the good run. When you’re not, you want to break to recharge and hopefully go on a nice little run."

Listen to or download the full episode on BBC Sounds here

James Jones, We Are West Ham, external

Declan Rice looks certain to leave West Ham at the end of the season.

But his imminent availability has sparked an odd pundit campaign to undervalue him rather than a race to acknowledge his extraordinary value to the Hammers and any potential new club.

Man-of-the-match Rice scored England’s opener in last week’s historic 2-1 win in Italy.

He is a guaranteed starter for Gareth Southgate in the most successful England team in a generation.

And he also spearheaded West Ham’s two best seasons of the modern era.

Granted, Rice’s Irons form has been disappointing this campaign, with the club entertaining his Frank Lampard ‘I want to be a box-to-box midfielder’ complex.

But he has been the best of a bad bunch while shouldering the additional burden of club captaincy.

And, in an era when world-class holding midfielders like Fernandinho, N’Golo Kante and, more recently, Rodri and Casemiro are vital to the best teams, Rice is worth his weight in gold.

With Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal set for a bidding war, it will be a dereliction of duty by West Ham’s board if he goes for less than £90 million.

And, don’t forget, Mykhailo Mudryk was bought for £88 million.

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West Ham have announced they will travel to Australia for their pre-season tour ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.

The Hammers will begin the tour with a match against local side Perth Glory at Optus Stadium, before taking on Premier League rivals Tottenham at the same venue on 18 July.

Speaking in Perth for the announcement of the tour, former West Ham United striker and current ambassador Carlton Cole said the club is "really excited" to be heading to Australia in the summer.

"As well as looking forward to playing two exciting pre-season fixtures in Perth, we also have a great opportunity to visit a wonderful country, one that I know loves its sport and is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about football," added Cole.

Last year the club played a number of fixtures across the UK in preparation for the 2022-33 campaign.

James Jones, We Are West Ham, external

International breaks are often seen as a hindrance but there's something about this one that has an element of comfort for West Ham.

This is a vital period in the club's history.

While Premier League survival must be the ultimate priority, there's also the not-so-small matter of a Europa Conference League quarter-final to look forward to.

West Ham face Gent in April, looking to make back-to-back European semi-finals for the first time since the 1960s. But there are also huge Premier League games against Southampton, Fulham, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace.

These are games that might just define the club's Premier League status for the next 12 months.

So this break has come at the perfect time. It gives David Moyes two weeks to find a formula that works, one that will have his side replicating the kind of form that achieved consecutive top-seven finishes.

If he gets it right, it will be huge for the history of this football club.

If he doesn't, it could mean relegation and the sack.

West Ham are going into this break on a knife edge and no-one really knows which way it’s going to go.

Image source, Reuters

Former Charlton and Reading centre-back Steve Brown says "it's unusual" that David Moyes has not been sacked as West Ham boss with the Hammers languishing in the relegation zone.

Moyes has come under increasing pressure this season after guiding the side to successive top-seven finishes in the Premier League.

However, his impressive record in Europe, 10 wins from 10 and into the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League, suggests he still has the support of the players.

Brown believes his situation is an unfortunate consequence of his own success.

"I hate when teams over-achieve one year and are judged on that the next season," he said. "Other clubs would have sacked Moyes this season.

"People assume that you will progress from seventh but it's so hard to break into the top six if you have not got a squillion quid.

"West Ham went hard on recruitment in the summer to try to challenge but it has backfired slightly."

Listen to more on West Ham's travails this season from 36'00 on BBC Sounds

West Ham, Arsenal and Tottenham have looked at Red Bull Salzburg striker Noah Okafor, with the 22-year-old Switzerland international's contract ending in summer 2024. (Mail), external

Meanwhile, Declan Rice is expected to leave the Hammers this summer, with Arsenal and Chelsea leading the race for the midfielder. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Want more transfer news? Read Tuesday's gossip column

Antonio Conte's post-match tirade?

Fulham's barely believable implosion at Old Trafford?

What next for Crystal Palace after Patrick Vieira's sacking?

Add in reflections on Arsenal's title push, West Ham's struggles and Brentford's European desires and there's a serious array of talking points from this weekend - all covered on BBC Radio London's The Far Post podcast.

Listen to the full episode now on BBC Sounds