Suspension and injuries could restrict West Ham United's under-fire boss Julen Lopetegui from changing personnel when they welcome Everton to the London Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
After the chastening 3-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest last week, changes would have been expected, but issues in midfield could see the Spanish manager stick with the 5-2-3 formation he implemented at the City Ground.
The Hammers were handed another blow during the week, as the FA confirmed that Mohammed Kudus's suspension has been extended to five games, after his moment of madness against Tottenham Hotspur that saw him kick and slap Micky van de Ven, before clawing the face of Pape Matar Sarr.
Brazilian international Lucas Paqueta was forced into a wide position to accommodate for Kudus's suspension, but has been off the boil in recent weeks, and three straight bookings since the international break means he is now just one away from serving a suspension.
Edson Alvarez will also sit this one out due to a ban of his own following two quick-fire yellow cards at Forest saw him dismissed, potentially handing a reprieve to Guido Rodriguez, whose place in the side would have been in doubt after being hooked at half time.
Carlos Soler is the man set to come in for Alvarez, but Lopetegui also has the choice of including Andrew Irving, a recent recruit from Klagenfurt who is yet to make his full debut, but showed himself as something of a goalscoring midfielder in the Austrian Bundesliga last season.
Tomas Soucek could miss out once again through illness as Lopetegui confirmed there are a few "little issues" in his squad regarding availability, meaning goalkeeper Alphonse Areola may be absent as well with injury.
In attack, Jarrod Bowen could move into a more natural wide position, but Niclas Fullkrug will not be available to fill the gap centrally, as Lopetegui confirmed the German international is still at least two or three weeks away from a return.
That could provide an opportunity for Michail Antonio or Danny Ings, who was unfortunate not to feature at all against Forest, following the big impact he had in the win over Manchester United, assisting the first and winning the late penalty that Bowen converted.
Ings has a superb career record against Everton too, dating back to his time at Burnley, Liverpool, Southampton and Aston Villa as the 32-year-old has scored seven career goals against the Toffees - the most he has managed against a single opponent.
West Ham United possible starting lineup: Fabianski; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson; Rodriguez, Soler; Bowen, Ings, Paqueta
Click here to see how Everton could line up for this hugely important Premier League clash.
Andrew Delaney
