The reality of West Ham United being in the Europa League hit home last night when the Hammers were drawn to face Manchester United away in the Carabao Cup.
West Ham will travel to Old Trafford in the week commencing September 20th – with the game likely to be on the Wednesday, September 22nd.
That means West Ham will play David Moyes’s old club Man United twice in three days as they face off at the London Stadium on Sunday the 19th.
That match itself was moved from the Saturday to the Sunday due to West Ham having their first Europa League match on the preceding Thursday (September 16th).
Moyes will be hoping West Ham get a home game first up.
It will be an exciting week for West Ham fans.
But an away trip in Europe in that first game would highlight the kind of workload the Hammers will be up against with three big games in six days and potentially lots of travel too.
West Ham will find out their Europa League group stage opponents and fixtures when the draw is made on Friday.
There is still three weeks to go until Moyes has to worry about that period of games.
But unless the Scot can make some quality additions in the next week before the transfer deadline he may already be pondering whether to play a team of youngsters up at Old Trafford.
West Ham have an excellent crop of Under 23 players.
And it would be great experience for them against what will also likely be a second string Red Devils team with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s focus certain to be on the Champions League and Premier League.
Let’s see what the Europa League draw throws up first.
Let the fun and games begin.
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