Kyle Walker-Peters and Ollie Scarles will start at full-back as West Ham United face Premier League title challengers Manchester City, with Max Kilman also back in.
Nuno Espirito Santo hinted at Scarles’ return in his pre-match press conference. And, as it transpires, the club’s reigning Young Player of the Year is fit enough to start a league match for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury against Leeds in October.
El Hadji Malick Diouf and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are away on African Cup of Nations duty. The versatile Walker-Peters will also have plenty of chances to impress over the festive period, then. He too returns to the West Ham United XI.
What is your immediate RESPONSE to West Ham’s starting XI?
And what are your score predictions?
Ollie Scarles returns for Manchester City v West Ham United
In total, Nuno makes three changes from the team beaten in heartbreaking circumstances by Aston Villa last week. Max Kilman also starts, replacing Konstantinos Mavropanos after his own goal six days ago.
Callum Wilson is on the bench again, too, with Jarrod Bowen expected to lead the line. Mateus Fernandes may be at the heart of an intriguing battle, meanwhile, with fellow Sporting Lisbon academy graduate Matheus Nunes.
Manchester City are without seven first-team players due to injury and AFCON. It speaks to the quality of Pep Guardiola’s squad, though, that he can put forward a front four of Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland despite losing Jeremy Doku and Omar Marmoush.
Just how on earth can West Ham BEAT Man City? 😱
And which Hammers stars can make the difference on Saturday?
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