West Ham predicted XI vs Bolton

West Ham United could make several changes against Bolton Wanderers tonight as Nuno Espírito Santo attempts to balance growing momentum with an unforgiving Championship schedule.

The Hammers have won consecutive league games against Wolves and Derby County, but tonight’s 8pm trip to Bolton comes only three days after the 3-0 victory at London Stadium.

Nuno’s biggest decision is now in attack.

Taty Castellanos is highly unlikely to start after feeling his hamstring against Derby, while Pablo has a chance of returning following a calf problem but is also unlikely to be risked from the beginning.

That should mean Joël Piroe leads the line on his own, opening the door for a change of shape and a first West Ham start for Edvin Austbø.

Castellanos injury changes West Ham predicted XI

Our original prediction had Castellanos retaining his place alongside Piroe.

The situation has moved since then.

The latest West Ham injury news before Bolton now suggests neither Castellanos nor Pablo should be expected to start.

The West Ham Way, citing ExWHUEmployee, reports that Castellanos’ hamstring issue is not considered serious, but the Argentine is highly unlikely to begin tonight’s game.

Pablo’s calf problem is also believed to have been precautionary and he could return to the squad.

That makes another 4-4-2 considerably less likely.

Instead, Divine Mukasa can move into the No.10 position behind Piroe, with Jarrod Bowen and Austbø operating from the wider attacking positions.

Mukasa has already demonstrated why he deserves to stay heavily involved. We looked at how the teenager is becoming increasingly important to Nuno’s midfield after another composed display against Derby.

Edvin Austbø deserves first West Ham start

One part of our original prediction remains unchanged.

Austbø should start.

The £10million Deadline Day arrival produced a goal and an assist from the bench against Derby and immediately gave Nuno another serious option on the left.

His performance was enough for us to argue that Austbø had handed Nuno a major selection decision.

Tonight looks like the logical moment to act on it.

Manor Solomon has started regularly, but West Ham face Wrexham again on Friday before a Carabao Cup tie against Fulham next Tuesday.

Rotation cannot be avoided indefinitely.

Austbø has also done more than simply offer fresh legs. His direct running brought an extra threat against Derby and he reacted sharply to score West Ham’s crucial second goal.

We are backing him to make his full debut on the left.

Kyle Walker-Peters and Lewis Orford could return

There could also be changes further back.

Joël Veltman completed the Derby game at right-back and, at 34, asking him to start again three days later would represent an unnecessary workload with another fixture arriving on Friday.

Kyle Walker-Peters therefore gets the nod.

In midfield, the switch away from 4-4-2 creates space alongside Arne Engels.

Lewis Orford is our choice.

Mohamadou Kanté scored impressively from the bench against Derby, but Orford offers greater positional discipline alongside Engels if Mukasa is released further forward.

Nuno could also consider deadline-day arrivals Morato and Adama Boiro, but changing too much of a defence which has just produced West Ham’s first league clean sheet of the season would carry its own risk.

Max Kilman and Konstantinos Mavropanos therefore remain together at centre-back, with Ollie Scarles keeping his place on the left.