Mads Hermansen and El Hadji Malick Diouf will make their Premier League debuts for West Ham United during Saturday’s 3pm kick-off against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
Graham Potter did hint at Hermansen starting between the sticks ahead of Alphonse Areola during his pre-match press conference.
And, sure enough, the £18 million signing from Leicester City begins life as a West Ham United player on Potter’s team sheet.
El Hadji Malick Diouf will also start, playing in the left-wing-back role he quickly made his own during the pre-season tour. The Senegal star’s ‘unbelievable’ deliveries drew praise from Tony Cottee, the legendary Hammers striker, and he should bring a new dimension to Potter’s attack.
Niclas Fullkrug will hope to take a leaf out of Cottee’s book, meanwhile, as the big German aims to build on an impressive pre-season of his own.
West Ham’s number eleven scored in three successive friendly games against Everton, Bournemouth and LOSC Lille. Fullkrug has spoken warmly about Diouf’s impact in a claret and blue jersey too, hoping to strike up a fearsome understanding with the man tipped to supply the ammunition.
Sunderland, playing their first Premier League match since ex-West Ham boss David Moyes was at the helm in 2016, may have a tough task on their hands keeping Diouf and Fullkrug on the periphery.
El Hadji Malick Diouf sends in one of his trademark crosses for West Ham
Photo by Kevin C. Cox – Premier League/Getty Images for Premier League
Mads Hermansen and El Hadji Malick Diouf start for West Ham United at Sunderland
Reigning Hammer of the Year Aaron Wan-Bissaka starts at right-wing back, while Jean-Clair Todibo, Max Kilman and Nayef Aguerd are the central trio.
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Aguerd makes his return to the first division after Real Sociedad decided against signing the Morocco international permanently following last season’s loan spell in La Liga.
Guido Rodriguez is a more surprising inclusion alongside James Ward-Prowse. Far less shocking, however, is the sight of Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen lining up behind Fullkrug.
Hammers News can confirm that West Ham are open to selling Rodriguez before the window closes.
Furthermore, it was hoped among large sections of the fanbase that Freddie Potts would be given the chance to build on an excellent summer of progress. Skipper Bowen predicts that Potts will be West Ham’s breakout star for 2025/26.
The Barking-born midfielder will have to wait, though, as he aims to fulfil those lofty expectations.
Alphonse Areola drops to the bench following Hermansen’s arrival, alongside Edson Alvarez, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Tomas Soucek, Ollie Scarles, Andy Irving and the aforementioned Potts.
Kyle Walker-Peters and Callum Wilson, free-agent signings from Southampton and Newcastle United respectively, will make their Hammers bows if they are introduced.
There is no place for Luis Guilherme, however. A slight surprise, given that Guilherme was another youngster who impressed during the USA tour.
Graham Potter after Manchester United FC v West Ham United FC - Premier League
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Edson Alvarez and Konstantinos Mavropanos among Graham Potter’s substitutes
It remains to be seen if the likes of Alvarez and Mavropanos will ever feature in a West Ham shirt again.
Alvarez’s agent is not ruling out an Ajax return for the Mexico captain. Villarreal reportedly held discussions regarding Mavropanos this week, meanwhile.
On the opposition side, Sunderland begin life back in the big time with Granit Xhaka wearing the armband. Reinildo, Chemsdine Talbi, Noah Sadiki, Habib Diarra and former Brighton winger Simon Adingra all make their first competitive starts under Regis Le Bris.
So does Robin Roefs, replacing Anthony Patterson in goal. Interestingly, Roefs was linked with West Ham before making a £9 million move to Wearside.