90min

Mark Noble Facing Difficult Task to Break Back Into West Ham's Starting Lineup

By James Cormack

Mark Noble has been thrust to the periphery by David Moyes
Mark Noble has been thrust to the periphery by David Moyes / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
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West Ham stalwart Mark Noble is finding it tough to work his way back into David Moyes' plans after being ousted from the Scot's favoured XI.

Noble has tallied a mere 71 minutes of Premier League action this term, with Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek emerging as Moyes' go-to double pivot in midfield following a string of impressive performances as a pair dating back to the end of last season.

Soucek and Rice have been impressive together
Soucek and Rice have been impressive together / Pool/Getty Images

England international Rice has captained West Ham in their last eight league bouts, and Moyes' side currently sit ninth in the table after a run of just one defeat from their last seven - collecting 14 points in the process.

With Rice's partnership with impressive box-to-box midfielder Soucek continuing to flourish, The Athletic note that it's becoming increasingly difficult for Noble to force his way back into West Ham's XI.

Noble skippered West Ham to a 2-0 defeat against Newcastle on the opening matchday of the campaign and has failed to start a Premier League game since.

The midfielder's been reduced to a trio of two-minutes cameos over the past two months, with Rice proving his worth with the armband following Noble's demise to the bench.

As it stands, it's likely that the 33-year-old will continue to be limited to mere cameos before the 2020/21 season is up. His contract expires next summer and could find it hard to earn a new deal if he can't break back into the fold.

Noble's contract at West Ham is up in the summer
Noble's contract at West Ham is up in the summer / Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

However, with Noble's leadership invaluable in and around the West Ham dressing room, the club may look to extend the Englishman's contract by a further year.

After making his senior debut for the Hammers in 2004, Noble has gone on to make 507 appearances for the club - seventh in the all-time list. There's no questioning his status as a West Ham legend.