Nuno Espirito Santo has selected the same starting XI for West Ham United’s London derby with Fulham as he did for the 3-0 defeat by Premier League challengers Manchester City on the other side of Christmas.
Erling Haaland fired City to the easiest of victories last time out, on an afternoon where Max Kilman produced another catastrophic performance at the heart of Nuno Espirito Santo’s backline.
Yet, despite some fans clamouring for Konstantinos Mavropanos to make his return ahead of West Ham United’s much-maligned number three, Kilman is selected again to partner Jean-Clair Todibo against Marco Silva’s Cottagers.
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Ollie Scarles is also passed fit to start at left-back.
Nuno was ‘worried’ about Scarles after he limped off with around an hour gone at the Etihad. The club’s Young Player of the Year starts again, though, with Ezra Mayers on the bench. Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf remain absent due to their African Cup of Nations commitments.
There is also a spot on the bench for George Earthy. The England Under-21 international has been in ‘outstanding’ form for the reserve side since returning from a hamstring injury.
Airidas Golambeckis and Mohamadou Kante are part of the matchday squad, too.
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