West Ham United

• West Ham are unbeaten in 17 consecutive matches in all European competitions (W16 D1, including qualifiers), the longest ever run by an English team.

• Jarrod Bowen has been directly involved in 12 goals (eight goals, four assists) in major European competitions since the start of 2021-22, only Jude Bellingham (15) has been involved in more among English players in that time.

• The Hammers have won a European away game in Germany for the very first time, having failed to win any of their previous such matches (D1 L3).

• Nayef Aguerd scored his first ever European goal on his 20th such appearance, becoming the fifth Moroccan scorer for an English club in major European competition after Mustapha Hadji for Aston Villa, Marouane Chamakh for Arsenal, Romain Saïss for Wolves and Hakim Ziyech for Chelsea.

• James Ward-Prowse registered his sixth assist of the season in all competitions, more than any other Premier League player in 2023-24.

West Ham continued their successful start to life in the Europa League with victory at Freiburg.

Lucas Paqueta's leapt highest to set the Irons on course with a goal from a well-timed cross by Jarrod Bowen.

Following their first-half dominance, West Ham were rocked when Roland Sallai prodded an equaliser shortly after the restart.

However, Nayef Aguerd nodded a James Ward-Prowse corner past Noah Atubolu to secure the win.

West Ham, who beat Backa Topola in their opening Europa League game, top Group A with six points.

Freiburg are second and sit three points behind.

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Amid rumoured interest for Jarrod Bowen from Arsenal, The Daily Telegraph's Luke Edwards told Football Gossip Daily that West Ham would be unlikely to sell the winger in January, especially after receiving a significant fee for Declan Rice in the summer.

Edwards also questions whether Jarrod Bowen would be willing to fight for a place with Bukayo Saka at the Emirates.

Listen to the full Football Gossip Daily episode here

Gareth Southgate has named his England squad for October's games against Australia and Italy at Wembley.

The Three Lions play Australia in a friendly on 13 October and Italy in a Euro 2024 qualifier on 17 October.

Read more on Southgate's squad selection here

West Ham are among several clubs who are interested in signing England midfielder Emile Smith Rowe, 23, if he leaves Arsenal. (Football Insider), external

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

Image source, Getty Images

David Moyes will write his name into the history books if West Ham avoid defeat against Freiburg in the Europa League on Thursday.

On the back of last season's Europa Conference League triumph, if the Hammers win or draw in Germany, the Hammers will make it 17 consecutive European matches unbeaten, which would be a record for an English team.

That would take them one clear of the records set by Don Revie's Leeds in the 1960s and Bill Nicholson's 1970s Tottenham side.

When told this in his pre-match press conference, Moyes said: "I didn't know that. Not bad names then, are they?"

"People who know football will tell you they were two incredibly gifted managers over a long period in English football.

"It would be a great achievement if we can do that. Let's hope we can keep it going. We've done well in Europe over the last couple of seasons. We want to try to continue that."

David Moyes has been speaking to the media before his side take on Freiburg in Germany.

Here are the best lines from the West Ham boss:

• Michail Antonio will miss out with injury, as will Aaron Cresswell and Ben Johnson.

• Moyes feels Freiburg are a "really good team" and says the club who finished fifth in the Bundesliga last year benefit from "stability".

• On missing away support on the trip he said: "We've had brilliant support away from home so I'm disappointed we're not able to get to them here. We've had some amazing games with them last year and we know tomorrow night will be tough."

• The manager spoke about last season's European success offering an incentive, adding: "We're now a European club and I take so much pride that we've been able to do that. We certainly don't take it for granted. All the games in Europe have been really, really difficult. I think, over time, all football in Europe has improved greatly."

• Asked about summer-signing Edson Alvarez, Moyes said: "He's done incredibly well and started fast. He's a really good man to have around, he's a good professional and settled in really well. I still think, coming into the last 15 minutes of games, he's found it physically demanding, but I have to say he's doing really, really well."

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• This will be the first competitive meeting between Freiburg and West Ham United, and the German side’s first European game against an English club.

• The Hammers have been beaten on their past three visits to German teams in European competition - one defeat by Borussia Dortmund (3-1 in April 1966) and two by Eintracht Frankfurt (2-1 in March 1976 and 1-0 in May 2022).

• Freiburg are unbeaten in their seven Europa League group matches since the start of last season (W5 D2).

• Since the start of last season, West Ham have won 15 of their 16 European games (D1), while they have won five of their seven group matches in the Europa League overall (D1 L1).

Image source, Getty Images

Kurt Zouma wants to pay back David Moyes for his support after the defender was named the new West Ham United club captain.

The 28-year-old officially takes on the armband after last season's captain Declan Rice completed his move to Arsenal in the summer.

Zouma has been a regular in the Hammers' side since his move from Chelsea in 2021, with Moyes and the club standing by the France international last year after he pleaded guilty to kicking and slapping his pet cat in a video that emerged on social media.

Speaking to PA news agency about being given the role, he said: "It's a huge honour and privilege for me to be captain. It's an amazing club and I'm just so proud.

"The manager has done an amazing job. He's a legend here. We won a trophy last year and that was a top achievement.

"And for me personally he has been helping me in every aspect, with my game and outside of football he has been supporting me throughout everything, and I just can't thank him enough for what he's done for me and I try to give it back on the pitch.

"That's my way, on the pitch. Everything he has helped me through I have to give it back on the pitch."

West Ham re-invested the £105m received for Rice in signing James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez, Mohammed Kudus and Konstantinos Mavropanos, all of which have helped the side to their impressive start to the season.

"We lost a top player, an important player, in Declan," Zouma added. "But I think the replacements that we made have been very clever.

"That didn't affect us, to be fair, we knew he was going to go. He's played some unbelievable games here, he'll always be remembered here, but he's an opponent now.

"The players that came in have bought into the project at West Ham, they've bought into the tactics, they've settled quickly as well.

"So we are pleased to have those guys and they've helped us make a really strong start to the season."

James Jones, We Are West Ham, external

After an incredibly routine victory against Sheffield United, one thing has become very clear with this current West Ham team.

While players such as James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez and Mohammed Kudus improve the quality of the squad, most notably the midfield following Declan Rice's departure, there have some standout improvements in the performances of players who perhaps underperformed for much of last season.

Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal both look like completely new players this season. Soucek has three goals already and Coufal has three assists in as many games, which is one more than he achieved for the whole of last season. They have been vital to our positive start to the campaign and look refreshed, confident and focused.

But we have also seen others such as Jarrod Bowen and Emerson put in consistent, high-level performances so far this term. Both of them were key to our Europa Conference League win in Prague. Bowen scored the 90th-minute winner, while Emerson put in a man-of-the-match performance, arguably his best in a West Ham shirt to date.

It does appear, then, that ending the club's trophy drought back in June has had a significantly positive effect on the players who were involved in that historic feat. They have come into this new season with a very clear aim of wanting to continue improving and driving this club forward, which is so refreshing to see.

Kurt Zouma and Lucas Paqueta are two others who are clearly using that trophy win as a platform for continued success and top-level performances.

With another European campaign under way and another opportunity to compete for a top-seven finish, it is refreshing to see every single player looking to continue playing their part in what is one of the most successful eras in the club's history.

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David Moyes marked his 900th league game in the dugout with a 2-0 win over newly-promoted Sheffield United last weekend.

Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton chats about the "incredible manager" who he feels doesn't get "anywhere near enough praise" on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.

Listen to the full Monday Night Club episode here

West Ham United are in talks with 26-year-old England winger Jarrod Bowen over a new deal amid interest from Liverpool. (Football Insider), external

Want more news? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Image source, West Ham United FC

The Premier League has recognised West Ham's work towards equality, diversity and inclusion with its highest level of award in the area.

The Hammers were previously awarded the Premier League Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Standard in 2020.

A club statement, external said: "Following a rigorous and in-depth assessment by an expert panel this summer, focusing on evidence of EDI across all areas of the club, the Premier League concluded that the Hammers have continued to make fantastic progress in this area and deserve to maintain the advanced level."

Striker Michail Antonio added: "Equality, diversity and inclusion is so important to the club and everyone who is part of the West Ham family.

"Together we are really involved in the local community. We are all proud of that and proud we have received this special recognition."

Image source, Reuters

Former England right-back Paul Parker, speaking to BBC Radio London about West Ham's start to the season and how support for David Moyes has grown in recent months:

"If you asked 100 fans about David Moyes in the last few weeks of last season, virtually 90 of them would have said 'if we win the Europa Conference League that gives him a chance, but I'd rather him still go'. Everyone was saying that they didn't want him to stay because of the way it went in the league.

"The way they're going, there's going to be no great concerns about relegation. Just by the way they're playing will tell you that, because it's not just about winning games but it's how you win games.

"You look at them in Europe and they should be one of the two sides [going through from their Europa League group] and he wants to stay in that League Cup. That'll be a big night against Arsenal [in the fourth round]. He [Moyes] is in a good position because he wants to win something, so he'll put a team out to show that to the fans."

We asked for your views on Saturday's game between West Ham United and Sheffield United.

Here are some of your comments:

West Ham fans

Faith: We should've scored one or two more but this is the kind of game we'd have lost a few years ago. Love or hate the tactics, David Moyes is quietly going about making us hard to beat and challenging in the league and cups. We kept Sheffield United to a few half chances and looked confident throughout. Hopefully we can see Kudus in the starting line-up soon.

Bill: A competent performance though not inspiring. Thought Vlad Coufal had a very good game.

Colin: A good solid start to the season, we have spent some of the money wisely from the sale of Declan. If we can build more consistency and get other people on the score sheet we will be doing just dandy.

Pedro: Would have been disappointing not to beat Sheffield Utd at home but it is still a great start to the season for the Hammers. Our best chance of getting into the Champions League is winning the Europa League as top four is not realistic with this squad. Been hoping for another Antonio for five years (to give him a rest) but still not found one yet!

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