West Ham United take on Southampton this afternoon in a game which could define the Hammers' season, as defeat would remarkably send David Moyes' side bottom of the Premier League table.
The east London outfit have been far too inconsistent in the top flight so far this campaign and it is something of a surprise that Moyes remains in the job, so he should reinstate some of the players he trusts to deliver on Sunday, with many of the summer signings flattering to deceive since making the move to the London Stadium.
Therefore, the Scottish manager should unleash Vladimir Coufal from the start against Ruben Selles' side today after he made his return from injury during the international break.
Should West Ham start Coufal against Southampton?
Coufal had picked up a heel injury in the Hammers' 4-0 win against Nottingham Forest in February and was ruled out for the entirety of March, which was a big loss for Moyes as his side failed to win any of their three domestic games against Aston Villa, Brighton and Manchester United.
However, he was fit enough to join Jaroslav Silhavy's side for the recent international break and impressed in their games against Poland and Moldova, earning 7.22 and 7.03 ratings from WhoScored, with an assist to his name in the 3-1 win over Poland.
There is no doubt that the right-back has regressed in recent seasons, failing to live up to the performances which saw him notch seven assists in his first campaign at the club, but the 30-year-old can always be relied upon to give his all, with the defender declaring himself a "psycho" after a win against Villa in 2021.
Mark Noble also sang his praises when appearing on the Peter Crouch podcast in 2021, labelling his former teammate a "machine" and it is these characteristics which could be vital for the Hammers' hopes of claiming victory in today's relegation six-pointer.
The alternatives for Moyes at right-back are Ben Johnson and Thilo Kehrer, neither of whom have impressed in a West Ham shirt so far this season, earning 6.47 and 6.40 average ratings from WhoScored for their performances, which sees them ranked as the 12th and 16th-best players in Moyes' squad.
Coufal may have struggled this season, but he still ranks third for tackles, third for interceptions and sixth for key passes per game in West Ham's squad this term, all of which are higher than Johnson and Kehrer.
Therefore, Moyes must start the former Slavia Prague man against Southampton as he could inspire the Hammers to a much-needed win.