Manchester United vs. West Ham: Team News, Preview, Live-Stream, TV Info
Manchester United start their Premier League campaign with a home match against West Ham United at Old Trafford on Sunday.
It's the Red Devils' second year under manager Jose Mourinho, and he will be targeting a significant improvement on last season's sixth-placed finish.
Mourinho has added new faces to his squad in the form of striker Romelu Lukaku, midfielder Nemanja Matic and centre-back Victor Lindelof. Meanwhile, the Hammers will arrive in Manchester with former United striker Javier Hernandez in the fold.
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Before a preview and a look at the team news, a look at the schedule and viewing details.
Date: Sunday, August 13
Time: 4 p.m. BST. 11 a.m. ET.
TV: Sky Sports PL. NBCSN.
Live Stream: Sky Go. NBC Sports App.
United's new trio should feature as Mourinho aims to get off to a winning start. It means a lot of attention will be on Lukaku, a striker Mourinho once discarded at Chelsea but who is now being counted on to score the goals to fire United to the title.
Lukaku has taken strides since leaving Stamford Bridge. He thrived at Everton, scoring 25 league goals for the Toffees last season, per WhoScored.com.
Still just 24, Lukaku has room to grow in a team geared to his pace and power.
Ensuring the right supply is available for Lukaku will be one of Mourinho's biggest challenges this season. It's a problem Armenian schemer Henrikh Mkhitaryan can help solve.
The former Borussia Dortmund forward recently told the BBC merely finishing in the top four won't be good enough this season (h/t Anthony Jepson of the Manchester Evening News).
Instead, Mkhitaryan is targeting the title. He possesses the flair and ingenuity in the final third to be the creative talisman for Mourinho's otherwise pragmatic team.
The United boss will expect Lindelof and his defence to keep Hernandez quiet. The Mexico international won two titles during his time with United and still has a keen eye for goal.
He can expect a warm reception at Old Trafford and has said he wouldn't enjoy finding the net against his old cub, per BBC Sport's Simon Stone:
Hernandez is one of four potential West Ham debutants, along with goalkeeper Joe Hart, forward Marko Arnautovic and full-back Pablo Zabaleta, per the league's official website.
The same source noted how the visitors will be without schemer Manuel Lanzini, target man Andy Carroll and winger Michail Antonio, making Arnautovic and Hernandez all the more important.
Hammers manager Slaven Bilic will count on the link between the Austrian, Mexican and intelligent forward Andre Ayew to inspire more attacking impetus this season.
Bilic will also have an eye on getting better defensively, something experienced former Manchester City right-back Zabaleta will help with.
West Ham have made some smart additions this summer, but United seem primed to return to the role of title contenders.
