Team news v Wolves: Arnautovic captains Irons again, Cresswell starts

Aaron Cresswell

 

Aaron Cresswell comes in for Arthur Masuaku in the only change to West Ham United’s starting XI for this afternoon’s Premier League contest with Wolverhampton Wanderers. 

The English left-back missed most of the action in pre-season due to injury, playing 45 minutes against Angers, but returned to the field on Tuesday in the Carabao Cup 3-1 win over AFC Wimbledon. 

Cresswell’s performance sees the 28-year-old named in the starting XI in the Premier League for the first time this season, in the only change to Manuel Pellegrini’s side from the 3-1 defeat at Arsenal last weekend. 

There are eight changes from the team that defeated Wimbledon on Tuesday, with Cresswell, Issa Diop and Ryan Snodgrass retaining their places. 

Lukasz Fabianski returns in goal, having been on the bench in mid-week, while Diop and Cresswell are joined in defence by Fabian Balbuena and Ryan Fredericks. 

Jack Wilshere and Carlos Sanchez are back in the heart of midfield, after the pair impressed at Arsenal last Saturday. 

Felipe Anderson is reinstated to the starting XI after excelling from the bench against Wimbledon, while Snodgrass and Michail Antonio are also in the team on the flanks. 

Marko Arnautovic has recovered after picking up a knock against Arsenal, and will once again lead the line and captain the team. 

Club skipper Mark Noble is back in the matchday squad after missing out last weekend due to a back injury. The midfielder makes the bench. 

Noble is joined among the substitutes by goalkeeper Adrian, Declan Rice, Pablo Zabaleta and Pedro Obiang. 

Chicharito, who scored his first goal of the season on Tuesday, is also on the bench, as is Andriy Yarmolenko. 

West Ham United: Fabianski; Fredericks, Balbuena, Diop, Cresswell; Wilshere, Sanchez, Snodgrass, Anderson, Antonio; Arnautovic

Substitutes: Adrian, Rice, Zabaleta, Noble, Obiang, Yarmolenko, Chicharito

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Rui Patricio; Doherty, Coady, Bennett, Boly, Jonny; Neves, Mourtinho; Costa, Jota, Jimenez

Substitutes: Ruddy, Gibbs-White, Saiss, Vinagre, Hause, Bonatini, Traore