Genk vs West Ham United

West Ham United head to the Luminus Arena to entertain Genk, aiming to secure their berth in the UEFA Europa League knock-out stage.

Genk have followed up a 1-0 Matchday 1 win over Rapid Vienna with a brace of 3-0 defeats, but they still have a realistic chance to reach the Europa League knock-outs. Despite sitting bottom of Group H, the hosts are level on points with second-placed Dinamo Zagreb. Hopes of making it out of the Europa League group stage for the fifth time in a row face a formidable challenge here, as they’ve never defeated English opposition in European football so far (D1, L4). To defy that record, the ‘Blauw-Wit’ will have to improve their set-piece defending, considering four of their six Europa League goals conceded this season have come from such plays. Worryingly, though, the Belgians have lost each of their last four home matches in major European competition, their longest-ever such streak.

Unlike their hosts, West Ham have gone from strength to strength in the Europa League this season, winning all three Group H fixtures by 2+ goals ‘to nil’ to climb to the top of the section. Going into this matchday as one of just two teams to have won all three matches in the competition so far, the ‘Hammers’ could ensure their place in the knock-outs with a fourth straight triumph. After putting two unanswered goals past Dinamo Zagreb in their Europa League curtain-raiser, West Ham could win back-to-back away games in European action for the first time in the 21st century. David Moyes will be confident of marking his 1000th match as a manager with a bang, as his men have won all but one of their seven competitive road trips this season (D1).