West Ham United

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West Ham boss David Moyes, speaking to Sky Sports: "We finished in really good form before the international break with a really good 4-0 win here in the Europa Conference League. Unfortunately our game with Manchester City was off [due to the FA Cup] but it's given us a bit of time to get refreshed and ready to go again for what looks like a really busy couple of months.

"Our form at home has been pretty good so we have to try and keep that going.

"It was a big decision between Lukasz [Fabianski] and Alphonse [Areola] because Alphonse has done really well but we felt Lukasz hasn't done that much wrong. He got a nasty injury which has had a chance to heal. He feels fine.

"Scoring goals has probably been our biggest problem this season. Danny [Ings] got us a couple of good goals here a few weeks ago against Nottingham Forest so let's hope he can do it again today.

"We're getting close to the end of the season so the more points you can pick up now the better because the games become more important.

"I know Southampton are at the bottom and we're just above them. James Ward-Prowse is a big threat at set-pieces so you're trying not to give away too many free-kicks but overall we have to show the form we have shown at home over the last month or so."

Southampton manager Ruben Selles and West Ham boss David Moyes say they are not thinking of the points they need to stay in the Premier League.

The pair are preparing to face each other in their relegation six-pointer match on Sunday at London Stadium.

Ruben Selles' side are bottom of the table with 23 points while David Moyes' team sit 18th with 24 points and two games in hand.

"To be honest, I don't think about points," Selles said.

"I know everybody's looking if you win one game that you get out of the bottom position, or if you lose the game they will go four points [clear]. I don't really think about that. Every game is a big game. It is a massive game for us and every game has been like that.

"But we have a lot more things to do than spend our energy thinking about points, relegation or what [the table] is going to be in two months."

Read more here.

Image source, Getty Images

• 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

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Former West Ham midfielder Rob Lee says Danny Ings is West Ham's best chance of Premier League survival.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Lee said: "If you've got a natural goal scorer, you'll get out of it and that's what most of the teams at the bottom lack.

"What will get West Ham out of it, is Danny Ings. He's that natural goal scorer.

"They've got a couple of games in hand, so I genuinely think they're in a better position."

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.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at the London Stadium

West Ham skipper Declan Rice reflects on his experiences with England in today's match programme.

Rice was man of the match in England's memorable win over Italy in Naples and evidently playing for his country means quite a lot to the 24-year-old.

There is also huge debate over Rice's future beyond the end of the season.

However, for now, he is totally focussed on club duties.

"International football takes a back seat until June and I'm 100% focused on leading West Ham."

He is calling on the Hammers supporters to help them get out of trouble at the bottom of the table.

BBC Radio 5 Live

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Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha, says Leicester or West Ham being relegated this season could be "club changing" because of their success in recent years.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Onuoha said: "There's a lot riding on this last stretch [of the season] because as we look down and see the likes of Leicester and West Ham, where it could be club changing moments if they go down.

"Two years ago, Leicester were winning the FA Cup and West Ham are playing in Europe this season, so this is very significant.

"The pressure is on."

It couldn't be much tighter down there.

Every win is absolutely crucial...

Image source, BBC Sport

Huge boost for West Ham as keeper Lukasz Fabiansk returns for his first game since 25 February. The former Arsenal stopper has been out with a fractured cheekbone and eye socket but was seen wearing a protective mask in training earlier in the week.

That means Alphonse Areola drops to the bench while Emerson starts after recovering from illness. Michail Antonio, who has had a calf issue, is on the bench and Nayef Aguerd has recovered from a minor injury to play.

West Ham XI: Fabianski, Kehrer, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson Palmieri, Rice, Bowen, Soucek, Paqueta, Benrahma, Ings.

Substitutes: Cresswell, Coufal, Fornals, Antonio, Lanzini, Downes, Areola, Cornet, Ogbonna.

Image source, .

Two changes for Southampton from the side that fought back from 3-1 down to draw with Tottenham on 18 March.

Croatia defender Duje Caleta-Car makes his first Premier League start since 21 January and French forward Sekou Mara also returns.

Armel Bella-Kotchap has a shoulder injury and Che Adams is missing because of injury.

Southampton XI: Bazunu, Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Caleta-Car, Perraud, S Armstrong, Ward-Prowse, Lavia, Elyounoussi, Walcott, Mara.

Substitutes: McCarthy, Maitland-Niles, Lyanco, Aribo, Orsic, Onuachu, Sulemana, Alcaraz, Diallo.

Image source, .

We'll circle round back to Newcastle v Man Utd later. Right now, though, we have some team news from the London Stadium...

On the game at St James' itself, here is some early team news to chew on...

Newcastle midfielder Joelinton returns after serving a ban but winger Anthony Gordon, who has sat out two matches with an ankle issue, is doubtful.

Nick Pope and Sven Botman should be fit despite missing international duty.

Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin have been cleared to play but Miguel Almiron remains out with a thigh issue.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is hopeful Marcus Rashford, who withdrew from the England squad because of a minor injury, will be available.

Anthony Martial is back in contention after overcoming a hip problem but it is not clear whether Marcel Sabitzer and Raphael Varane are fully fit, while Christian Eriksen, Alejandro Garnacho and Tom Heaton are ruled out.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at the London Stadium

The London Orbit ride adjacent to the London Stadium provides the perfect backdrop to today's game.

Nineteenth versus 20th.

Whoever loses won't be throwing in the towel just yet - West Ham will still have a game in hand on all the teams above them - but they will be bottom of the Premier League heading into the run-in, which is not where anyone wants to be.

West Ham have been decent at home during 2023 but their last league game was that four-goal hammering at Brighton, so Southampton do have reason for optimism.

Image source, BBC Sport

If you need some actual football to fill the gap between now and 2pm, you could do an awful lot worse than checking out our WSL coverage.

It's a clash of two heavyweights with Arsenal taking on Man City. With just six points separating the top four, the battle for the WSL title could scarcely be closer and these two are right in the thick of it.

Follow the game here.

BBC Radio 5 Live

You've got a treat today across BBC platforms. We'll be live text commentating on both games (you know that, you're already here). Meanwhile, our colleagues at BBC Radio 5 Live are covering both games in their entirety.

You can tune in to that coverage either on your radio or by using the play buttons at the top of this page.

The aforementioned fan groups - NUFC Fans Against Sportswashing and United Against Sportwashing - have issued this statement: “While NUFC play MUFC on Sunday, groups of fans from both clubs will be united in a common cause, regardless of the result on the pitch.

"We are Newcastle United and Manchester United fans standing together to call for an end to the sale of our historic clubs to states which use them to sportswash their human rights abuses.”

This comes at the end of a week that has seen the Premier League tighten its ownership rules to block anyone found to have committed human rights abuses from running a club.

Human rights group Amnesty International said the move is "a step in the right direction", but warned the Premier League still risks becoming a "sportswashing toy" if the rules were not properly implemented.

Conservative MP Tracey Crouch, who was the UK's Sport Minister between 2017 and 2018, described the changes were "smoke and mirrors".

Read more here.

Later, at St James' Park, it is fifth against third, the new kid on the big-money block against a woken giant, Eddie Howe's Newcastle against Erik ten Hag's Man Utd.

We can't avoid the fact that off-the-field stuff is going to get a mention in the build-up to this. Newcastle are majority-owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), while Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani is one of those trying to buy Manchester United. It makes the subject of the use of English football's big institutions for sportswashing an inevitable talking point.

Ahead of the game, groups of fans from both clubs have joined together to demand a ban on the sale of clubs to states who could use this for sportswashing human rights abuses., external

It's another big day in the Premier League's races to be in the top four and not in the bottom three.

Thankfully, the fixtures package it up nice and neat for us, starting with the battle at the bottom and ending with a tussle near the top.

This evening, one of, if not both of West Ham and Southampton will still be staring into the abyss while one of, if not both of Newcastle and Manchester United will optimistic of a Champions League tour.

So settle in and let me throw some context at you before we properly get cracking at two.