Jarrod Bowen and Manor Solomon in a West Ham kit, with Nuno Espirito Santo in the middle

Jarrod Bowen, Nuno Espirito Santo and Manor SolomonBreaking Media

West Ham predicted XI vs Watford: Solomon misses out, Nuno drops attacker surprise in six changes

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Published on:

27 Aug 2026, 3:40 pm

West Ham United earned a morale-boosting victory at Southampton in the Carabao Cup last time out as they return to Championship action at Watford on Saturday.

The Hammers were reeling from a 2-1 home defeat to London rivals Charlton Athletic in the Championship last weekend.

Taty Castellanos missed a last-gasp penalty in that fixture, as the Irons remained winless in the league after an opening 2-2 draw with Burnley.

But West Ham fought from behind to win 4-1 at Southampton in the Carabao Cup second round to get a much-needed win.

Joshua Ajala scored twice, while Castellanos and Jarrod Bowen were also on target in a convincing win.

Next up is Watford at Vicarage Road, and West Ham Zone has predicted Nuno Espirito Santo to make six changes from the Saints triumph.

Nuno to revert to type at the back in West Ham's trip to Watford

Nuno, unsurprisingly, opted to switch things up for the Southampton game but it will likely be a more familiar looking line-up here.

Mads Hermansen is tipped to return in goal in place of Finlay Herrick, while Max Kilman could be the only player in the back four to keep their place.

Kyle Walker-Peters and Oliver Scarles could be the starting full-backs, in place of Joel Veltman and Ezri Mayers - with El Hadji Malick Diouf looking certain to depart and still not involved.

Konstantinos Mavropanos is in line to return at centre-back, with Airidas Golambeckis dropping out of the team.

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Manor Solomon to miss out again for West Ham

Sticking with a 4-2-3-1/4-4-1-1 formation, Mohamadou Kante will likely keep his place in the centre of midfield.

However, new boy Arne Engels is set to return to the engine room next to him with Lewis Orford dropping out.

Skipper Bowen will surely return on the right flank, which would see Keiber Lamadrid miss out.

Ajala's double against the Saints means Nuno might consider sticking with him and keeping Manor Solomon - a close-season signing from Tottenham - on the bench.

Castellanos may have scored, but Divine Mukasa got the nod against Southampton and Nuno might drop a surprise and stick with the Manchester City loanee.

Joel Piroe is set to keep his place in the forward line, the on-loan Leeds United man getting off the mark in the Charlton defeat.

Divine Mukasa