West Ham v West Brom Preview: Lineups, Predictions For Game Nuno Dare Not Lose

West Ham United v West Bromwich Albion
EFL Championship
London Stadium
Saturday 31 October 2026, 3pm GMT

West Ham United’s defeat against Southampton was more of a dent to team morale than anything else. The Hammers remain the Championship’s leading scorers and are only a solitary victory away from top spot, so now is certainly not the time to panic.

However, pressure will begin to build around Nuno Espírito Santo if West Ham lose again on Saturday. Two victories from the past five games is not disastrous, but back-to-back defeats are not generally something an automatic-promotion challenger can afford.

That makes West Bromwich Albion’s visit incredibly important, perhaps even a must-win match for Nuno and team morale more than anything else. The Baggies are only one point behind us and would move above West Ham with victory, which is not a situation worth contemplating.

Southampton Defeat Must Remain A Setback

The 3-2 defeat against Southampton brought West Ham’s nine-match unbeaten league run to an end, but it did not suddenly destroy our promotion prospects. We are still firmly involved near the top of a tightly packed Championship table.

There were nevertheless some alarming aspects to the performance. West Ham conceded twice inside the opening 15 minutes and were 3-1 behind by half-time, continuing a worrying pattern of starting games slowly.

Despite recording more possession, corners and attempts, the Hammers were unable to recover. As our analysis of the Southampton defeat highlighted, Nuno’s midfield offered insufficient protection to the defence and his team looked vulnerable whenever the visitors attacked.

One defeat can be dismissed as a bad afternoon. Two in succession, particularly against teams competing around West Ham in the table, would be considerably harder to explain.

Nuno Still Searching For His Best Team

At this point, Nuno’s tactics are anyone’s guess. I am not sure the West Ham head coach knows his best team, which makes predicting Saturday’s formation and starting XI extremely difficult.

The constant changes have not helped West Ham establish a settled tactical identity. Nuno has alternated between formations and attacking combinations, occasionally appearing to change his approach for the opposition rather than concentrating on the strengths of his own squad.

Results have generally been good enough to keep West Ham in a strong position, but the Southampton performance demonstrated the danger of getting that balance wrong. The midfield was repeatedly bypassed, while the defence was exposed far too easily.

I expect Tomáš Souček to start against West Brom. His ability to arrive inside the penalty area has already produced three Championship goals from the bench, and Nuno may believe his height and physical presence are required against the Baggies.

That selection would probably mean West Ham using only one recognised striker, with Pablo Felipe my best guess to lead the line.

Defensive Injuries Test West Ham’s Depth

Konstantinos Mavropanos is expected to miss the match after suffering a knee injury during the closing stages against Southampton. Losing him is a significant blow because he has been one of West Ham’s most effective players at both ends of the pitch this season.

The Greek defender’s absence should provide an opportunity for Airidas Golambeckis. I have already argued that Golambeckis deserves his chance alongside Max Kilman, having impressed during his previous senior appearances.

Joël Veltman will be assessed after missing the Southampton match, but I am working on the assumption that he will not be available. His continued absence would leave Nuno without two important defenders and make Golambeckis the natural replacement rather than requiring a wholesale reshuffle.

This is precisely why West Ham have assembled a large squad. As discussed following the latest injury setbacks facing Nuno, every promotion challenger eventually has to cope without influential players.

Kyle Walker-Peters is therefore likely to retain his place at right-back, with Morato continuing on the opposite side.

Austbø Deserves A Run Of Starts

Edvin Austbø surely deserves an opportunity on the left. Manor Solomon has been shocking since returning from international duty and probably needs a period out of the team.

West Ham paid the best part of £15 million for Austbø, so why not give him an opportunity across a run of games? He has looked direct, energetic and dangerous during his appearances from the bench, yet has not been afforded the same patience as some of Nuno’s more experienced players.

Austbø would start in my team, but this table is about predicting Nuno rather than selecting my preferred side. My suspicion is that the head coach will persist with Solomon despite his poor form.

That is not the decision I would make, but very little about Nuno’s current selection policy is easy to predict.

West Brom Can Overtake The Hammers

West Brom arrive at the London Stadium fifth in the Championship, only two places and one point behind West Ham. James Morrison’s team are unbeaten in three matches, collecting seven points during that period, although they were held by bottom club Preston North End last weekend.

The Baggies have built upon their strong finish to last season and should be treated as a genuine promotion rival. This is not a fixture in which West Ham can afford another sleepy opening or wait until half-time before playing with the required urgency.

Victory would steady the situation immediately, restore confidence and keep the Hammers within one result of the Championship summit. Defeat would allow West Brom to move ahead of us and leave Nuno facing serious questions before two difficult away games against Cardiff City and Blackburn Rovers.

West Ham still possess the attacking quality to win this match. The question is whether Nuno can select a balanced team and ensure it is ready from the first whistle.

Gonzo’s Predicted West Ham Lineup

Make no mistake, this is not the team I would select. However, with Veltman and Mavropanos expected to be unavailable, this is about as close as I can get to predicting what Nuno will do.

Formation: 4-3-3

Gonzo’s Prediction

West Brom’s league position and recent form make this a serious examination of West Ham’s promotion credentials. The Hammers cannot afford another slow start or a repeat of the defensive chaos which handed Southampton control of last weekend’s match.

However, there is still no reason to panic. West Ham are the division’s leading scorers, remain within touching distance of top spot and possess enough quality to respond immediately.

I expect a difficult afternoon, but I believe the Hammers will edge it. Defeat is not even worth contemplating.

Prediction: West Ham United 2-1 West Bromwich Albion

Saturday’s match will be refereed by Robert Jones, assisted by Hugh Gilroy and Conall Bartlett, with Craig Hicks acting as fourth official, as confirmed by West Ham United.