West Ham United manager Graham Potter is optimistic that Jarrod Bowen will make his comeback from a foot injury in Monday's Premier League London derby with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The 28-year-old has missed the Irons' last four top-flight games, but he now has almost a full week of training under his belt and is expected to be in contention to spearhead the attack on Monday.
As Niclas Fullkrug (thigh) and Michail Antonio (leg) are still absent, Bowen should start at the tip of Potter's 3-4-2-1 shape if fit enough, no doubt with the support of dazzling dribbler Mohammed Kudus.
The Ghana international has completed a league-high 57 dribbles in the 2024-25 Premier League season, and both Kudus and Bowen ought to be joined by Lucas Paqueta, so long as the Brazilian can battle back from a groin complaint.
Ex-Blues defender Emerson Palmieri bombs down the left flank at his former stomping ground, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka is indispensable on the other side, as are Tomas Soucek and Edson Alvarez in the engine room.
Due to defensive shortages, Potter had to field two full-backs as makeshift centre-backs in last weekend's 1-1 draw with Aston Villa, but Dinos Mavropanos is now back from suspension to provide a more well-suited option.
Aaron Cresswell could be the one to give way for Mavropanos, who should link arms with Max Kilman and Vladimir Coufal as part of Alphonse Areola's shield.
West Ham United possible starting lineup:
Areola; Coufal, Kilman, Mavropanos; Wan-Bissaka, Soucek, Alvarez, Emerson; Paqueta, Kudus; Bowen
> Click here to see how Chelsea could line up for this game
Ben Knapton
