West Ham will look to continue their positive start to the Europa Conference League group stage when they travel to Denmark to face Silkeborg on Thursday evening.
The Hammers started the campaign on a positive note as Jarrod Bowen, Emerson Palmieri and Michael Antonio scored second-half goals in a 3-1 win over Romanian side FCSB at the London Stadium.
There was disappointment for Silkeborg in the other Group B match as Fabio Silva scored an 81st-minute penalty to secure a 1-0 win for Belgian side Anderlecht.
It won’t be the first time David Moyes’ men have faced Danish foes this season, as the Hammers defeated Silkeborg’s compatriots Vyborg in the qualifying round – triumphing 6-1 on aggregate – and Vyborg are currently one place above -up in the Danish Superliga.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the second match of the group stage.
When is Silkeborg vs West Ham?
The match will kick off at 20:00 BST on Thursday 15 September. It will be played at JYSK Park in Silkeborg, Denmark.
How can I watch it?
It will be broadcast live on BT Sport 2 starting at 19:45 after the Sheriff Tiraspol v Manchester United match. It will also be streamed live on the BT Sport website and mobile app for BT Sport customers.
Team news
Having had the weekend off, David Moyes could name a full Hammers squad, although he is likely to keep faith with his ‘Conference League Europa League squad’, which features a few changes from the normal XI. On the injury front, Tomas Soucek is struggling with an ankle injury, while Maxwell Cornet and Gianluca Scamacca have knocks and Nayef Agerd and Ben Johnson are long-term absentees, but Aaron Cresswell and Craig Dawson have recovered sufficiently and should be fit enough for starts if needed.
Silkeborg manager Kent Nielsen made several changes for the weekend’s league win over AGF from the side who narrowly lost to Anderlecht last Thursday, with Sebastian Jorgensen scoring on his recall from the side so he can keep his place. Niklas Holm Pedersen, Gustav Dahl and Alexander Lind are nursing injuries, while Robert Gojani is also likely out.
Planned lineups
Silkeborg XI: Larsen; Sonne, Salqvist, Kalisir, Engel; Keinge, Brink, Thordarson; Jorgensen, Helenius, Kaalund
West Ham XI: areola; Koufal, Kerrer, Dawson, Emerson; Downs, Rice, Lanzini; Benrahma, Skamaca, Bowen.
Odds
Silkeborg: 5/1
Draw: 10/3
West Ham: 1/2
Forecast
West Ham had a scare in their first game against FCSB, but after getting through, they should have been much stronger this time around and won relatively comfortably in Denmark. Silkeborg 1-3 West Ham