Rehanne Skinner has named her starting XI to face Portsmouth this evening in the Women's League Cup at Chigwell Construction Stadium.
Manager Skinner has handed competitive debuts to Oona Siren, Marnie Morrison and Ruby Doe for the cup clash in Dagenham. Professional Game Academy [PGA] players Morrison and Doe joined the Hammers at the end of July from Arsenal, and have been rewarded with their first starts this evening.
Meanwhile, Siren gets her first taste of competitive action in Claret and Blue since joining from LSK Kvinner FK towards the end of the summer transfer window.
In total, there are nine changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Liverpool just three days ago, as Skinner gives opportunities to her squad in a week that sees her side also face Manchester City in Barclays Women's Super League action on Sunday.
Experienced goalkeeper Megan Walsh starts in goal, her first appearance since December 2023 in the same competition.
It looks as though Skinner will line up with a back four of Shelina Zadorsky, who captains the side in the absence of Katrina Gorry, Camila Sáez, Morrison and Shannon Cooke, one of the two players to play in Sunday's draw.
Halle Houssein makes her first appearance for West Ham in over a year, having spent last season on loan with Reading in the Barclays Women's Championship. She's joined in midfield by Scandinavians Siren and Marika Bergman Lundin, who makes her first start since joining the Club in January.
Summer signings Seraina Piubel and Manuela Paví are given an opportunity to impress from the start, having both made cameos from the bench in the women's team's opening two league matches. The aforementioned Doe joins them in attack.
Skinner has plenty of experience on the bench should she need to make changes. Kinga Szemik, Amber Tysiak, Riko Ueki, Emma Harries, Viviane Asseyi, Li Mengwen and Gorry all featured in the draw with Liverpool and are given a rest from the off. Meanwhile, Daniella Way, also of the PGA, will be hoping to secure her first minutes in Claret and Blue as a replacement.
West Ham United: M.Walsh, Cooke, Morrison, Sáez, Zadorsky ©, Houssein, Siren, Bergman Lundin, Paví, Piubel, Doe
Subs: Szemik (GK), Tysiak, Ueki, Harries, Asseyi, Gorry, Mengwen, Way
Portsmouth: Annets, McEwen, Coan, Freeland, McLaughlin, Rolf, Dent, Pitman, Collins, Casley ©, Hornby
Subs: Haughton (GK), Barrett, Barker, Rowbotham, Jones, Quick, Hutchings, Williams
Referee: Kirsty Dowie
