West Ham United boss Julen Lopetegui was under huge pressure after back-to-back losses to Arsenal and Leicester City.
However, the Spaniard has since eased the pressure on himself by picking up five points from the Hammers’ last three matches.
West Ham were not entirely convincing against Brighton & Hove Albion at the weekend, but they managed to earn a 1-1 draw after Mohammed Kudus’ second-half equaliser.
Lopetegui will look to seal maximum points this Thursday when he takes his team to Hampshire to face Southampton in the Premier League.
Predicted West Ham XI vs Southampton
Lukasz Fabianski had a mixed outing against Brighton. His shocking error allowed Mats Wieffer to score, but the experienced goalkeeper made amends by pulling off two brilliant saves.
The 39-year-old will once again start in goal, keeping Alphonse Areola on the bench.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Max Kilman and Emerson are expected to keep their first-team berths, but the same cannot be said about Konstantinos Mavropanos.
The ‘dominant’ defender put in a poor display against the Seagulls, losing possession on eight occasions in the match. Jean-Clair Todibo will likely replace him in the heart of defence.
There is no reason for Lopetegui to make a change in midfield, with Tomas Soucek and Edson Alvarez set to showcase their skills from the middle of the field.
Lucas Paqueta has been suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season, which means Carlos Soler will come into the side on Thursday.
Niclas Fullkrug finally got his first Premier League start against Brighton, but he failed to make an impact and was taken off early in the second-half.
Despite an underwhelming display, Fullkrug will once again spearhead the attack against the Saints. Jarrod Bowen and Kudus should also retain their places on the wings.
Predicted West Ham XI vs Southampton
Fabianski; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson; Soucek, Alvarez; Bowen, Soler, Kudus; Fullkrug
Read more: Howe axes Willock in one major change – Predicted Newcastle United XI vs Aston Villa
Stats from Sofascore