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West Ham United return to Premier League action this evening, taking on Wolverhampton Wanderers in a match where three points should be expected against a Bruno Lage side that has been struggling.

It has to be said, West Ham haven’t been fantastic either. David Moyes’ men have won just once in the league all season while scoring just three goals in the process as they are struggling to capitalise on their excellent campaign last season.

Moyes could make some big changes for this crucial encounter against Wolves, and he should seriously be considering starting a couple of summer arrivals.

Here is what we are predicting the West Ham starting XI will be for this evening’s clash…

Lukasz Fabianski will start for the eighth Premier League match in a row, with Alphonse Areola being used in the European matches this season.

Moyes will make one change in the back four, with Emerson coming in for Aaron Cresswell at left back due to the 32-year-olds poor performance against Everton, where he lost possession a staggering 16 times during the 1-0 defeat.

The rest of the back four will see Thilo Kehrer and Kurt Zouma at the heart of the defence, while Vladimir Coufal starts at right back.

Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek take up their usual roles at the heart of the West Ham midfield, with the Czech midfielder impressing in the league this season, achieving a rating of 7.07 as per SofaScore and he could be vital against Wolves.

Moyes will unleash Maxwel Cornet on the left wing – with Alex James proclaiming him to be “the best summer signing in the league for impact” after he scored a wonderful volley against Crystal Palace last season for Burnley. Lucas Paqueta will take up an attacking midfield slot with Jarrod Bowen starting on the right wing.

There will also be a key change to who will be leading the line, with £70k-per-week striker Michail Antonio dropped in place of summer arrival Gianluca Scamacca. The Italian should be able to dominate a weakened Wolves defence and hopefully, he can translate his European form – three goals in four matches – to domestic success.

This changed West Ham line-up should have more than enough to secure all three points and in turn, kickstart their season into gear.

Sheffield Wednesday journalist Dom Howson says that it’s a ‘worrying trend’ that Darren Moore’s side can’t seem to beat the bigger teams in League One.

The Lowdown: Midweek heartbreak

The Owls suffered late heartbreak at Home Park on Tuesday night after letting in a stoppage-time winner to be on the receiving end of an excruciating 2-1 defeat to Plymouth.

The boss was the subject of heavy criticism after taking off Barry Bannan and Josh Windass in a second period, where they could have changed the outcome of the game.

The Hillsborough outfit have now only beaten one of the top seven teams in the division this season, something that appears to be causing concern among supporters.

The Latest: Howson’s ‘worrying’ claim

Asked during a YorkshireLive Q&A on Wednesday where the Owls go from here after losing to another of the big teams, Howson responded:

“I agree that it is a worrying trend. Peterborough was a slightly different case. I don’t think Wednesday would have lost had they not gone down to ten men. But they didn’t perform against Barnsley. They only played well in bits and starts at home to Portsmouth and Ipswich.

“I thought some of their football was excellent last night. Wednesday created some really good opportunities. They were the better team for 70 minutes. The subs shifted the momentum Plymouth’s way. Moore has got to learn from those tactical changes. He got them wrong.

“The reality is Wednesday are still in a good position. They are averaging nearly two points per game. Plymouth is a setback but they have got a good run of games coming up. Things could look very different in another month’s time. People have to keep the faith and trust in the process.”

The Verdict: No need to panic

Whilst Moore’s side will be concerned by the lack of success against some of their main competitors, there’s definitely no need to panic.

The Owls are currently third, just five points off the top of the table with three-quarters of the season still left to play, which is a fantastic position to be in so early on.

There are also several players missing through injury, so when they return and are available for selection again, one would think those top of the table clashes could swing the Owls’ way.

Tottenham Hotspur will be without Dejan Kulusevski once again after the winger suffered a fresh injury setback in training ahead of tonight’s Premier League clash with Everton…

What’s the latest?

As relayed by football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, the 22-year-old picked up another issue despite returning to full-time training at Hotspur Way earlier in the week – as pictured above, he was involved before their midweek win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League and had been expected to feature against the Toffees today.

“Dejan Kulusevski picked up a little knock in training yesterday having returned from his hamstring problem. Spurs awaiting his scan results from today,” the reliable journalist tweeted.

During his pre-game press conference on Friday, manager Antonio Conte delivered an update from his end. He told the press: “We are the same players of the last game. Deki is still not available for the game against Everton. The rest of the players are ok.

“I think we need to have a bit of patience with [Kulusevski]. Don’t take stupid risks. We have to play a lot of games from now until November.”

Another huge blow to Conte

This is a massive blow to the Italian head coach, who already is facing doubts over Richarlison’s fitness as well, as Kulusevski has been an integral figure since his arrival from Juventus on an initial 18-month loan back in January.

Indeed, the Sweden international has scored or assisted a goal every 114 minutes in his 29 appearances, which is better than the form of Heung-min Son (one G/A every 144 mins) this season.

In his early absence, Spurs’ performances suffered as they looked lost without Kulusevski’s presence on the right flank in a 3-4-3.

Against Brighton and Hove Albion last weekend, Conte opted for an extra man in midfield as they edged to a 1-0 victory and aside from the result against Frankfurt on Wednesday, there has been a struggle to score, managing only two goals in their other three outings since the international break.

Once dubbed a “non-stop machine” and an “absolute monster” by journalist Nima Tavallaey Roodsar, it’s evident that the Swede’s relentless presence in the final third is something that Conte and the rest of the squad, in particular Harry Kane and Son, thrive off.

The £70m-rated dynamo will clearly be a big miss against a resurgent Toffees outfit in N17 later today. Conte cannot be too happy about not having his star man available once again, especially as the signs earlier in the week looked ever so positive.

AND in other news, Conte drops midweek Lucas Moura update…

Wolverhampton Wanderers currently occupy 18th place in the Premier League table after winning just two league matches all season.

Their biggest downfall is a lack of goals, with the Old Gold only scoring five times in 11 league matches, the lowest out of any side in the top flight.

Former manager Bruno Lage brought Sasa Kalajdzic to the club to solve these woes, however, he got injured in his first match, while Diego Costa hasn’t exactly set Molineux on fire so far, averaging a disappointing SofaScore match rating of just 6.35.

Lage might still be in a job if Wolves signed one of their targets during the summer, especially with his goalscoring record and Premier League experience…

Dzeko would have solved Wolves’ goalscoring crisis

Edin Dzeko was linked with the club back in July as Lage looked to add some firepower to his misfiring squad.

A move didn’t materialise and it appears Wolves are paying for that mistake now, especially with their woeful goal return this season.

The £155k-per-week forward has plenty of Premier League experience, winning two league titles with Manchester City, scoring 50 goals in 130 league appearances for the club in a four-year spell.

Despite being two years older than Costa, the Bosnian might have been a better option due to the form he showed last season for Inter Milan.

The 36-year-old scored 17 goals in all competitions, chipping in with a further ten assists, proving his game doesn’t just rely on goals and he is still performing at the highest level.

Eusebio Di Francesco, his manager at AS Roma, supported this claim, saying: “He’s an extraordinary player, and not just in terms of his finishing – he gets the team playing, brings the ball down, and produces good service for his teammates.”

Compared to positional peers in the big five European leagues, Dzeko ranks in the 93rd percentile for total shots (3.56 per 90) and the 90th percentile for progressive passes (3.06 per 90), with these stats alone proving that Wolves should have brought him back to England.

With their current form and evident woes in front of goal, the club will surely regret their decision to pursue other targets.

There seems to be no end in sight for Wolves after their search for a new manager took another setback on Thursday, with QPR boss Michael Beale the latest to turn down the vacant position at Molineux.

Wolves made an approach to bring the 42-year-old to Molineux but it was reported not long after, that the former Aston Villa and Rangers assistant had turned down the opportunity to move to the Premier League in order to remain with the Loftus Road outfit.

It is easy to see why Fosun were keen on appointing Beale, given that the Hoops sit top of the Championship after winning eight of their opening 15 games.

For now, they will stick by interim boss Steve Davis, but they will eventually need to turn their attention elsewhere and could find a solution to their current woes in Peter Bosz.

The Dutch manager was linked with the Old Gold earlier this week before Beale became the first choice, and perhaps Fosun could return to the former Lyon and Ajax boss in the new year.

French news outlet Le10 Sport claimed that Bosz is keen on a return to management and had discussions with the Wolves board about potentially joining before they decided on Beale, which suggests that he could be an option now that the 42-year-old will be staying in the Championship.

Bosz was only sacked by Lyon earlier this month after a disappointing run which saw them win only four of their opening ten games in Ligue 1, which suggests that he wouldn’t be able to bring much of a winning mentality to Molineux. That factor is drastically needed given that the Midlands club find themselves in the Premier League relegation places.

However, Bosz has enjoyed impressive spells with Ajax and Bayer Leverkusen in the past, averaging 2.13 points per game and 1.79 points per game with the Dutch and German sides respectively with a play style that he deemed “rigorous.”

Both of these are an improvement on the 1.69 points per game averaged by Beale at QPR, and at a higher level too, which suggests that the 58-year-old Dutchman might even be a better option.

Given that Wolves are very much in a relegation battle this season, hiring a manager as inexperienced as Beale could have been a big risk, and as a result, they must approach Bosz again in 2023.

Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara has had his injury record backed up by medical expert Ben Dinnery after recent criticism from Glen Johnson. 

The Lowdown

Earlier this week, former Reds defender Glen Johnson claimed that Thiago misses games for Jurgen Klopp’s side due to “strange” injury issues or other reasons.

This comes after the Spaniard missed the defeat against Nottingham Forest and subsequent trip to Amsterdam due to an ear infection.

The comments have led Dinnery to share his thoughts on what Johnson had to say, and the Sky Sports analyst has some pretty encouraging words for the Liverpool star.

The Latest

Speaking to Football Insider, Dinnery had this to say on the matter.

He said: “He says he’s missed some games for ‘strange reasons’ and that’s simply not the case.

“Since he came to the Premier League, he’s had a chest infection, two positive covid tests and then we’ve had this ear infection. I don’t quite get saying they are ‘strange reasons’, his argument is flawed.

“He also talked about the high number of injuries he sustained away from the pitch. Again, it’s simply not right, 75 per cent of his time loss injuries have all happened in a game.

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“One of those was a fairly hefty challenge in one of the Merseyside derbies, that was a fairly significant time spent out. Again, these things don’t quite add up.

“We talk about recruitment and injury history is a really good indicator of availability expectations. Thiago is exactly where he was back in the Bundesliga.

“We’re not seeing anything different to what Thiago was like in the past. We’re seeing a player who is available for a certain number of games and that’s continued to the Premier League.

“I found it a bit of a strange and ill-informed interview without any substance or fact.”

The Verdict

According to Transfermarkt, the Spaniard has missed 50 games in total for Liverpool through injuries to his knee, calf, thigh, hip and hamstring.

Taking into account what Dinnery had to say in response to Johnson’s comments, it’s clear that the medical expert believes Thiago is more a victim of bad luck rather than any lack of pain resistance.

While Thiago’s previous injury issues may be seen as a problem for the team, it’s apparent from what Dinnery had to say that it’s nothing out of the ordinary.

Newcastle United could reportedly sign Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot on a free transfer this summer.

The Lowdown: Out of contract

The Frenchman is out of contract in Turin in the summer, meaning that he can leave on a free transfer or sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club in the January transfer window.

He has recently admitted that he does not know whether he will renew his current deal with the Old Lady, following their failure to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages.

The Latest: Newcastle interest

As per Calciomercato, Juventus cannot afford to renew Rabiot’s contract on current terms, which are thought to be €7m (£6.1m) per season.

However, Newcastle are among a number of clubs who can, and would be ‘interested’ in signing him up once his deal expires. Manchester United, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain are also thought to be interested in his signature, should he leave Turin.

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The Verdict: Another option…

Rabiot would certainly offer Eddie Howe and the Newcastle squad another quality option in the middle of the park.

Once claimed to be built ‘like a wardrobe’ by former team-mate and football legend Gianluigi Buffon, the 6 foot 3 dynamo ranks highly among other midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for aerial duels won, blocks and tackles made per game over the past year (FBRef).

This marks him out as a midfielder who is well able to work hard out of possession for the benefit of his team.

Rabiot is set to star in France’s midfield at the upcoming World Cup, given the injuries to Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, so the Toon Army can get a glimpse of what the 27-year-old could offer to them should he come to St James’ Park.

Liverpool are set to open talks with Roberto Firmino regarding a new contract at Anfield, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Firmino revitalised for Reds

The Brazilian hasn’t been at his best over the past couple of seasons, with his output diminishing significantly from the 25 goals that he netted in 2017/18.

Firmino has enjoyed a welcome resurgence in 2022/23, though, scoring six goals and registering three assists in just 11 Premier League appearances, already surpassing his top-flight goal tally from last term.

The 31-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season, and while his ailing form of previous campaigns might have suggested that he could be sold, the situation now appears to have changed.

The Latest: New deal incoming?

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are ‘preparing to open talks’ with Firmino over a new deal, with discussions set to take place during the World Cup break.

Jurgen Klopp still thinks the Brazil international ‘still has a big role to play’ moving forward, believing he has a number of years left in him at the top, and the German is a ‘huge admirer’ of the player.

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The Verdict: No-brainer for Liverpool

This would be great news for Liverpool, with Firmino a modern-day hero of the Kop, having scored 106 goals, been vital to the Reds’ system and won every trophy possible for the club.

There was a point when it looked as though he was past his best and handing him a new contract would feel reckless, but he has shown this season that there is still plenty left in the tank.

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Iconic strikers such as Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema are proof that players can remain at the top well into their 30s in the modern era, too.

Firmino has been hailed as ‘world class’ by Klopp himself and would hopefully jump at the chance to stay on at Anfield, so it should suit all parties for them to arrive at an agreement.

Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui is interested in making a move for Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz, according to transfer reports from Spain.

The Lowdown: Diaz out of favour at Madrid

The 29-year-old finds himself in a star-studded Galacticos squad currently brimming with world-class attacking players such as Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior.

For that reason, Diaz has been limited to just four appearances in La Liga this season, all of which have been short cameos as a substitute.

With Wolves manager Lopetegui likely to be looking for new signings in January, it could be that the striker is offered a route out of Madrid.

The Latest: Lopetegui keen on Diaz

According to Spanish reports [via Sport Witness], Diaz ‘could put an end to’ his time in Madrid and ‘could be heading’ to the Premier League; and it may be Wolves who bring him there, with Lopetegui wanting to ‘start a revolution’ with his squad.

A January transfer is mooted, with Los Blancos team-mate Nacho Fernandez also mentioned as a potential signing for the Old Gold. The report states that the new Wolves manager ‘has a fixation’ on both players.

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The Verdict: Could be a great signing

Diaz could be a really shrewd prospective signing by Wolves if they can get a deal over the line, with the promise of more regular playing time surely appealing to him, and he may be open to exiting the Bernabeu given his peripheral role there.

With both Raul Jimenez and Diego Costa seemingly past their prime, the Real Madrid attacker could add some much-needed firepower at Molineux, having scored 21 goals in 48 appearances during a spell at Lyon.

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Diaz also has 12 goals to his name for his current club, which isn’t to be dismissed given their status as European champions – he has won the Champions League twice – and the fact that his current contract expires next summer means that Wolves could get him on the cheap in January.

Chelsea have found themselves in a poor run of form in the Premier League lately and Graham Potter will surely be thankful for the World Cup break over the next few weeks to fine-tune his plans and philosophy at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues are now eighth in the league table after failing to pick up a victory in their last five outings and have lost consecutively in their last three, with the newly-appointed manager struggling to get the best out of his squad so far.

Indeed, the problems run deeper than just tactics and performances on the pitch with many key players out of contract next summer which should prompt a much-needed rebuild from the new owner Todd Boehly by identifying players who can be part of the future over the next few transfer windows.

Thiago Silva, Jorginho and N’Golo Kante will all be out of contract at the end of this season and with the latter two playing huge roles in the centre of the pitch over the years, it will be imperative that they are replaced with players that can not only offer quality and experience to match but longevity too.

One player who has been repeatedly linked with a move to West London is one of the hottest young prospects in European football – Jude Bellingham.

The England international, who is currently in Qatar for the World Cup with Gareth Southgate’s squad, has captured the attention of the world for his development at Borussia Dortmund and currently has several elite clubs desperate to secure his signature next summer.

Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Real Madrid are four of the biggest clubs that Chelsea will need to compete with to win the battle to sign Bellingham should Dortmund agree for the talented teenager to leave Germany over the next few months ahead, and it is without a doubt he would be the perfect signing for Chelsea.

Over 15 Bundesliga appearances this season, the £129m-valued midfielder – who was hailed a “future captain” by Theo Walcott – has scored three goals, delivered two assists and created four big chances, as well as averaging 1.1 key passes per game.

He also shines in a defensive capacity, making 1.4 interceptions, 3.2 tackles and winning a whopping 9.2 duels per match.

Bellingham ranks eighth for passes into the final third, second in pass interceptions in the opponent’s half and seventh for dribbles completed in the whole of the Bundesliga, proving that he is both defensively solid and a threatening playmaker, a combination that makes him the complete midfielder.

At just 19 years old, the Englishman could potentially guarantee over a decade of service to the club he signs for next which only makes him an even greater asset to whoever gets the deal done, something Chelsea must not take for granted if they are serious about making a move over the months ahead.

With that being said, there is no doubt that Potter would get Stamford Bridge rocking again if he can secure the signing of Bellingham. He is a generational talent who can seemingly do everything in the middle of the pitch, with the sky seemingly the limit for the teenager.

It would be a remarkable first signing by Potter and one that would surely get the fan on side quickly.