Manuel Pellegrini welcomes Marko Arnautovic back into his West Ham United starting XI for tonight’s Premier League fixture at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Austrian replaces Andy Carroll from the home defeat by AFC Bournemouth ten days ago and will lead the forward line.
Arnautovic’s return is one of three changes from that 2-0 loss at the Vitality Stadium, with Arthur Masuaku and Robert Snodgrass also included in the team from kick-off.
Masuaku and Snodgrass are in as Aaron Cresswell and Samir Nasri both miss out with minor injuries. Both Cresswell and Nasri will hope to be available for next Monday’s visit of Liverpool to London Stadium.
Getting back to this evening’s game and Lukasz Fabianski will start in goal behind a back four of Pablo Zabaleta, Issa Diop, Angelo Ogbonna and Masuaku.
Captain Mark Noble, who has scored on his previous two Premier League visits to Molineux, and Declan Rice will anchor the midfield, with Snodgrass, Michail Antonio and Felipe Anderson supporting Arnautovic in attack.
The substitutes’ bench will be filled by Adrian, Ryan Fredericks, Pedro Obiang, Chicharito, Carroll and Academy of Football graduates Grady Diangana and Conor Coventry.
Fredericks appears in a Premier League squad for the first time since the 1-1 draw at Huddersfield Town on 10 November last year, having returned from a shin injury in Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup fourth-round defeat at AFC Wimbledon.
West Ham United: Fabianski, Zabaleta, Diop, Ogbonna, Masuaku, Rice, Noble ©, Snodgrass, Antonio, Felipe Anderson, Arnautovic
Subs: Adrian (GK), Fredericks, Obiang, Coventry, Diangana, Chicharito, Carroll