West Ham United’s starting XI for tonight’s Premier League clash with Brighton and Hove Albion has been confirmed with Pedro Obiang and Arthur Masuaku coming into the team.
Manager Slaven Bilic has made two changes to the team that played at Burnley last weekend, with the suspended Andy Carroll and Aaron Cresswell dropping out of the side.
Only James Collins and Diafra Sakho miss out due to injuries but Bilic indicated earlier this week that the duo could return to action in the next few fixtures.
Joe Hart maintains his place in goal after a strong display last weekend against Burnley. The England international kept a clean-sheet in his last match at the London Stadium, against Swansea City.
Masuaku comes in at left-back with Cresswell dropping to the bench, while Pablo Zabaleta, Jose Fonte and Winston Reid retain their spots in the back-line.
New Zealand international Reid is once again named the captain for this fixture, marking the fourth time he has skippered the side in the league this campaign.
Obiang slots into a central midfield pairing with Cheikhou Kouyate, which pushes Manuel Lanzini slightly further forward, just behind striker Chicharito.
Friday’s contest marks the first time this season that Lanzini has started a match at London Stadium, having made his first full appearance last weekend at Turf Moor.
The Argentinian wizard will be flanked by Michail Antonio, who will play on the right after scoring his first goal of the season last Saturday, and Marko Arnautovic on the opposite wing.
Chicharito is also in the team and starts as the side’s lone striker for the contest against the Seagulls. The Mexican makes the starting XI despite Bilic confirming that the striker had concerns about his thigh earlier this week.
The bench also contains an abundance of quality as club captain Mark Noble, Cresswell, Andre Ayew, Adrian and Angelo Ogbonna are joined by Sam Byram and Edimilson Fernandes, who turned out for the PL2 side last week.
West Ham United: Hart; Zabaleta, Reid (c), Fonte, Masuaku; Obiang, Kouyate, Antonio, Lanzini, Arnautovic; Chicharito
Subs: Adrian, Cresswell, Ogbonna, Byram, Noble, Fernandes, Ayew
Brighton: Ryan, Bruno (c), Bong, Dunk, Stephens, Knockaert, Gross, Murray, Izquierdo, Duffy, Propper
Subs: Krul, Goldson, March, Schelotto, Suttner, Brown, Molumby