West Ham team news has been confirmed for tonight’s Carabao Cup tie at Southampton, with Nuno Espírito Santo making eight changes and leaving captain Jarrod Bowen on the bench.
Finlay Herrick starts in goal, while Divine Mukasa, Airidas Golambeckis, Ezra Mayers and Joshua Ajala all come into a youthful starting XI.
Joël Piroe keeps his place after scoring against Charlton on Saturday. Max Kilman and Mohamadou Kanté are the only other players retained from that 2-1 defeat.
West Ham confirmed their starting XI ahead of the 7.45pm kick-off at St Mary’s.
West Ham team news: Eight changes against Southampton
Herrick makes his first senior start after previously appearing during April’s FA Cup quarter-final against Leeds.
Remarkably, the young goalkeeper saved a penalty from Piroe during that shootout. The pair are now teammates following the striker’s summer arrival.
Mukasa makes his first West Ham start after coming off the bench against Charlton. Keiber Lamadrid also starts after recovering from the injury that disrupted his pre-season.
Arne Engels, Manor Solomon and Valentín Castellanos join Bowen among the substitutes.
Soungoutou Magassa also returns to the matchday squad despite uncertainty surrounding his future.
James Ward-Prowse is absent against his former club, while Alphonse Areola, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Malick Diouf are also missing. No explanation has been provided for their omissions.
Diouf’s absence comes as Brentford continue pursuing the Senegal defender.
Southampton hand a start to former West Ham striker Divin Mubama, who scored against Stoke at the weekend.
Should the scores finish level after 90 minutes, the tie will go straight to penalties. There is no VAR.
West Ham XI: Herrick; Veltman, Golambeckis, Kilman, Mayers; Mukasa, Orford, Kanté, Lamadrid; Ajala, Piroe.
West Ham substitutes: Hermansen, Walker-Peters, Engels, Solomon, Castellanos, Bowen, Magassa, Scarles, Casey.
Southampton XI: Peretz; Bree, Wood, Stephens, Welington; Bragg, Dobbin, Fellows, Akachukwu, Scienza; Mubama.
Southampton substitutes: Long, Manning, Downes, Larin, Archer, Azaz, Quarshie, Edozie, Matsuki.
