AFC Wimbledon vs West Ham United. Carabao Cup Second Round.
Kingsmeadow StadiumAttendance3,962.
Watch live on Sky Sports Football on Tuesday from 7.30pm
Tuesday 28 August 2018 20:42, UK
Tennai Watson could miss out on AFC Wimbledon's Carabao Cup clash at home to West Ham on Tuesday night.
The Reading loanee has not played since the goalless draw at Barnsley as he struggles for full fitness and could miss out again at Kingsmeadow.
Midfielder Tom Soares is another who is not expected to ready to feature, with boss Neal Ardley hoping to field a strong a line-up as possible. Kwesi Appiah is working hard to shake off a knock and will most likely face a late fitness test.
Ardley: West Ham is a free hit for us
Marko Arnautovic is a doubt for West Ham due to a muscular injury. Arnautovic captained West Ham in Saturday's 3-1 Premier League loss at Arsenal, but was forced and will be assessed ahead of the game.
Mark Noble is a doubt with a back problem, with Michail Antonio also fighting an ankle concern. Boss Manuel Pellegrini should mix up his starting line-up but is expected to field a host of senior names in a bid to kick-start the Hammers' campaign after three straight Premier League defeats.
AFC Wimbledon are appearing in the second round of the League Cup for the very first time - they had failed to reach this stage in seven previous campaigns.
West Ham have never faced AFC Wimbledon previously - the last time they faced an opponent for the first time was also in the League Cup, when they beat Accrington Stanley in the third round in September 2016.
AFC Wimbledon have lost both of their previous matches against Premier League opponents, losing 2-1 to Liverpool in January 2015 and 3-0 to Tottenham Hotspur in January 2018, with both games coming in the FA Cup third round.
West Ham were knocked out of the League Cup the last time they faced League One opposition - after a 1-1 draw in the second round against Sheffield United in August 2014, they lost 5-4 on penalties.
West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini won his four League Cup matches against non-Premier League sides as Man City manager by an aggregate score of 19-2, though all these games were against Championship opponents.
Both of these teams are struggling and haven't started the season well and I think, if you are Manuel Pellegrini and you've lost every game, you need to go stronger than you otherwise would. Wimbledon had a good win against Portsmouth in the first round, but I can't see them having enough to shock the Hammers in this one.
Don predicts: 0-2 with Chicharito to score first (20/1 with Sky Bet)
