West Ham winger Edvin Austbo and West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo in front of the London Stadium.

Edvin Austo and Nuno Espirito SantoTung Mahn (Breaking Media)

Three West Ham questions to emerge from the past seven days include should Edvin Austbo be a starter?

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Published on:

07 Sep 2026, 7:10 am

West Ham United finally showed their mettle in the Championship over the past week.

The Hammers made a difficult start to life in the second tier, taking just two points from their opening three games.

But the mood has shifted after a 4-2 triumph over Wolverhampton Wanderers was backed up by a 3-0 wn over Derby County.

The transfer window has now also come to an end, meaning Nuno Espirito Santo can focus fully on the task at hand.

Nuno will know that nothing other than promotion back to the Premier League will be accepted this season.

Here, West Ham Zone looks at three questions to have emerged from the past seven days at the London Stadium.

Has Edvin Austbo done enough to be a starter for West Ham United?

It is very, very early days in Edvin Austbo's West Ham career, but the signs are showing the Hammers have unearthed a gem.

Plucked from Norwegian outfit Viking, the 21-year-old winger looks a hugely exciting talent.

So far, he has had just a couple of cameos off the bench, but he was hugely important against Derby County.

West Ham were leading through Joel Piroe's early opener, but Austbo scored off the bench, then teed up Mahamadou Kante to drill in the third.

Is it already time for Nuno to take the plunge and make Austbo a starter? It will be interesting to see what he does against Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday.

West Ham predicted XI vs Bolton Wanderers: Austbo starts as Nuno shuffles the pack in four changes

Has Nuno found the team to take West Ham back up?

There has to be a balance struck here in the thinking.

West Ham have picked up six points and scored seven goals. That is bound to boost confidence among the squad and the fanbase.

But this time last week there were serious concerns, and there needs to be more evidence that this is an upward trajectory.

It does feel, though, that Nuno might be landing on something close to what he considers his best XI.

Piroe certainly feels like he has goals in him in this league, especially with the quality around him now.

But you sense the likes of Morato and Austbo will be pushing to start having joined during the transfer window.

It feels like there are some good options in the side now, though, and that can only be a good thing for Nuno.

Does Nuno now have the depth he wants at West Ham?

West Ham's relegation from the Premier League certainly hit the quality of the squad.

Several players departed the London Stadium, with Mateus Fernandes, Crysencio Summerville, and El Hadji Malick Diouf among those to depart.

But Arne Engels is starting to show why West Ham forked out £22million to sign him, there is strength out wide with Jarrod Bowen, Manor Solomon, and Austbo, and Divine Mukasa's loan from Manchester City looks good business.

With Piroe and Taty Castellanos showing promising signs of being a good partnership, Kante pushing to start, and Morato adding quality at centre-back, West Ham certainly feel a bit stronger.

The proof will be in the pudding with this one, though, with the games coming thick and fast up to Christmas - either side of a lengthy international break.

Jarrod Bowen