West Ham travel to west London for their second London derby in just four days as they face Brentford.
The Bees had been suffering from somewhat of a slump in form in recent weeks, after going six games without a win in all competitions, but look to be on the rise after 3-0 and 2-0 wins over Burnley and Chelsea, respectively, in their last two games.
David Moyes' side had also been suffering from a drop in form, though a midweek 3-1 win over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup is a sign of a change in fortunes for the Hammers.
History is on the side of the hosts, though, given that West Ham have won just one of their last five meetings with Thomas Frank's side, which came in the FA Cup last season.
A win could prove significant for the hosts as it would move them above the east Londoners and possibly as high as eighth, depending on Manchester United's result at Fulham.
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Team news
Brentford
Rico Henry remains sidelined and is expected to miss the remainder of the season, after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during his side's 1-0 loss against Newcastle in September.
Another absentee is Kevin Schade, who is expected to be out of action until early 2024 as he recovers from an adductor injury.
Ivan Toney is also unavailable as he continues to serve a ban over multiple breaches of the FA's betting rules. The forward has resumed training and playing with the B team, but can not play competitively until January 16th 2024.
The game is also expected to come too soon for midfielder Josh Dasilva, who is targeting a return from a hamstring injury towards the end of the month.
Mikkel Damsgaard is also expected to miss the West Ham game, though it is thought that he will return to fitness quicker than Dasilva, after the Dane suffered a knee injury.
Keane Lewis-Potter remains sidelined with a calf injury, though it is hoped that the forward will be able to resume some level of training within the next week or so.
The final absence of note it Shandon Baptiste, who is "undercooked" according to Thomas Frank, after having dislocated his shoulder.
West Ham
Moyes only has one injury concern to contend with, but will have to deal with a very new-look midfield due to some suspensions.
Both Edson Álvarez and Lucas Paquetá will miss the game after accumulating five yellow cards since the start of the league campaign - which will be a huge blow for the Hammers.
Kurt Zouma is a serious doubt after sustaining a knock, with the French defender expected to face a late fitness test ahead of the game to determine the extent of his possible involvement.
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Likely line-ups
Brentford
Flekken; Ajer, Collins, Pinnock, Hickey; Jensen, Nørgaard, Janelt; Mbeumo, Maupay, Wissa.
West Ham
Areola; Coufal, Mavropanos, Aguerd, Cresswell; Ward-Prowse, Souček; Bowen, Fornals, Kudus; Antonio.
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Key players
Brentford - Bryan Mbeumo
I know, I know. Another week, and yet again we have highlighted Bryan Mbeumo as Brentford's key player, but he does not give us any choice.
After a goal and an assist against Chelsea last weekend, taking him to four goal contributions in his last two games, the forward is quite literally at the top of his game.
With eight goal involvements this season, and a West Ham team with a heavily depleted midfield, Mbeumo will be looking at this fixture with stars in his eyes as the Cameroonian looks to guide his team to victory again.
West Ham - Mohammed Kudus
Kudus has been very impressive for a few years now. At Ajax, he was linked with virtually every elite club in European football but ended up at the London Stadium, following a broken-down move to Chelsea.
He has had to make do with a limited number of minutes so far this season as Moyes looks to ease him into the side, but has impressed every time that he's stepped onto the pitch.
With four goals this season from just six starts for the Hammers this season, he has shown an ability to have a huge impact on games in a short space of time.
His terrifying pace and flair are attributes to be admired and, against Brentford, could well prove to be the difference in what will no doubt be a very closely contested game.
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Match details
Where is the match being played?
Gtech Community Stadium.
When is the match?
Saturday 4th November 2023, kickoff is at 15:00 GMT.
How can I watch?
Due to the 3pm blackout, the game will not be televised in the United Kingdom. Highlights will, however, be posted to both clubs' YouTube channels shortly after full-time.
