Toronto, ON -- (Sports Network) - West Ham striker Dean Ashton believes the Major League Soccer All-Star Game is "going to be a big test."

West Ham, which finished 10th in the English Premier League last season, plays a group of MLS All-Stars led by David Beckham at BMO Field in Toronto at 7 p.m. (ET) on Thursday.

Although the Premier League season is still a few weeks away, West Ham is off to solid start in a preseason including seven games. West Ham beat the Columbus Crew in an exhibition on Sunday, 3-1.

West Ham is expected to play a nearly full-strength side, which could include Swedish international Freddie Ljungberg. He is also a well known Calvin Klein underwear model, but hasn't quite reached Beckham's celebrity status.

In addition to preparing for the grueling EPL season, West Ham wants to snap the MLS All-Stars' perfect mark against international opponents.

The MLS stars have won the previous four All-Star Games against international opponents, including wins over English clubs Chelsea and Fulham. The other wins were over Mexico's Guadalajara and Scotland's Celtic.

"I think it's going to be a tough game," Ashton told the league's website. "To bring all of the best MLS players together ... is going to be very tough.

"They've got some great players."

West Ham has a few as well.

Ljungberg has played 75 matches for Sweden and is easily the most experienced national team player on West Ham. Wales national team players Graig Bellamy (49 appearances), Danny Gabbidon (39) and James Collins (20) are just a few of the other experienced players.

England's Kieron Dyer (33 international appearances), Portugal's Luis Boa Morte (26), Northern Ireland's George McCartney (24), Scotland's Nigel Quashie (14) and United States defender Jonathan Spector (12) are also established players for West Ham.

Ashton believes there's no pressure to beat the MLS stars, but more excitement to play a high-profile game in North America.

"It's a chance to show what West Ham is all about ... and hopefully promote the English Premier League and the MLS at the same time," Ashton said.

The MLS All-Stars have regularly taken advantage of opponents that are still in the early stages of preseason training, but West Ham needs to be careful facing arguably the best group of MLS players yet.

Beckham, who has made over 100 appearances for England, is playing in his first MLS All-Star Game. He joined the league in the middle of last season and didn't play in the 2-0 win over Celtic.

Beckham, who plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy in MLS, is joined on the club by teammate Landon Donovan, who has more than 100 caps for the United States.

The Chicago Fire's Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who made just under 100 appearances for Mexico's national team, and Red Bull New York's Juan Pablo Angel, who scored in last year's All-Star Game and is a veteran of 33 Colombia national team games, are also on the roster.

Donovan believes that after four straight victories over international teams, West Ham will take this game more seriously.

"I think in years past teams came in here and thought it was going to be a little bit of a cake walk," Donovan said. "Judging by West Ham's result the other night against Columbus and who they played and the way they played, they are here to play the game and take it seriously, because they don't want to get embarrassed like some teams have in the past."

Donovan also knows West Ham will be a tough opponent, even for the star-studded group of MLS All-Stars.

"What I know about West Ham is they are a damn good team. ... The are going to be a very good team and they are going to be difficult to play against," said Donovan. "We all know that and we expect them to come ready to play and we are excited for it."