Alexander Pearce previews Sunday’s fixture…
Two of this season’s surprise packages meet on Sunday as West Ham host Swansea live on Sky Sports.
Both sides are experiencing their best ever start to a Premier League season as they sit in fifth and seventh place respectively.
The home side are hopeful that Diafra Sahko and Alex Song can return to action after missing the last three matches with injury. However the strength in depth for the Hammers this season has been impressive, as Kevin Nolan came into score his first goal of the season in the mid-week win over West Brom. Andy Carroll is also continuing to look sharp up front after returning from a long-term injury and he contributed with an assist in the 2-1 win.
Goals have been shared around for the Hammers this season, as defenders Aaron Cresswell and James Tomkins have both netted the winners in their last two outings. In total 11 players have scored this season, which is a record only bettered by Chelsea with 12.
One of those players, Mark Noble, is expected to be ruled out of the match with a calf problem.
For the visitors, Garry Monk will be without defenders Federico Fernandez through injury and Neil Taylor who is suspended.
Monk is on the opposite scale to his rival Sam Allardyce in terms of managerial experience, but he has impressed everyone since succeeding Michael Laudrup in charge.
Many predicted the Swans to struggle this year, but Monk has a tight-knit unit who play amongst the most stylish brand of football in the league. Continuity has been one of the key’s for them as seven players have featured in every game this season.
These include Gylfi Sigurdsson and Wilfred Bony who have been involved in 15 of the 19 goals Swansea have scored in the league. Bony in particular has been in brilliant form this year and is leading the way along with Sergio Aguero with 18 goals in the calendar year 2014.
Allardyce recently revealed he had the chance to sign Bony in 2013 but could only sign one of Bony or Carroll and chose Carroll instead.
The two sides are closely matched but Swansea are without an away win since the opening day of the season whereas the Hammers have won four of their last five home matches which includes wins over Liverpool and Manchester City.