West Ham predicted line-up vs. Sheffield United: four changes made plus latest updates on Jarrod Bowen

West Ham United will have the chance to make up for their disappointing FA Cup third round defeat at the hands of Bristol City when they take on Sheffield United at Bramall Lane this Sunday afternoon – but they will have to get by without several key players, and there is a very large question mark over the fitness of star player Jarrod Bowen.

Bowen sustained an ankle injury during the original FA Cup tie at the London Stadium and while early reports had suggested that he could be out for some weeks, some updates that have emerged since the replay have given him a chance of playing a part this weekend.

That would be a huge boost for David Moyes’ depleted side, but there will be plenty of absentees regardless of Bowen’s status. We’ve brought together all the latest team news and injury updates below, along with a predicted line-up.

Goalkeeper & Defence

West Ham will certainly have to make do without the services of Nayef Aguerd, who is away on international duty with Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations. The World Cup semi-finalists got their campaign off to a winning start, beating Tanzania 3-0, and a win on Saturday against the Democratic Republic of Congo would extend Aguerd’s stay in the Ivory Coast for a little longer.

There had been a doubt over the fitness of Greek centre-half Kostantinos Mavropanos, who has played the full 90 minutes of each of West Ham’s last three Premier League games and helped them to three consecutive clean sheets, but he came though the midweek replay against Bristol City in one piece and should be fit to start against Sheffield United. Full-back Vladimír Coufal is one booking away from suspension but is available to play on Sunday.

Midfield

Mohammed Kudus is another player who will be absent for the duration of their AFCON 2023 campaign, but with Ghana struggling there is some chance of him being back sooner than expected – despite Kudus’ brilliant brace in a 2-2 draw against Egypt, Ghana face elimination following an opening defeat against Cape Verde. They will need to beat Mozambique and hope other results go their way to advance.

Elsewhere, Lucas Paquetá will be unavailable after he became another victim of injury during the 1-1 draw against the Robins. He was initially expected to miss up to six weeks but has posted social media footage of him training in the gym already, and is now seen as likely to return sooner than was first feared. The Sheffield United match will be too soon, however.

Forwards

Key man Bowen missed the midweek match against Bristol City but seems to have defied all early reports concerning the severity of his ankle injury and is now in line to play against the Blades on Sunday after further assessment found his injury was less serious than thought. It is not yet confirmed that he will play, but Moyes will certainly get him on the pitch if it’s at all possible.

Elsewhere, Saïd Benrahma is suspended having been given a three-match ban for receiving a straight red card for a bad challenge in the defeat to Bristol City, and he won’t be available again until West Ham play Arsenal on 11 February – but with reports linking the former Brentford winger with a move away from the club, he could have played his last game at the London Stadium. Michail Antonio, meanwhile, could be back on the bench after recovering from a knee injury that has kept him out since mid-November.

Full West Ham predicted line-up vs. Sheffield United

Areola; Emerson, Zouma, Mavropanos, Coufal; Ward-Prowse, Souček, Álvarez; Fornals, Cornet, Bowen.