Head Coach Graham Potter has recalled Tomáš Souček to the West Ham United starting XI for Friday’s 2025/26 Premier League home opener with Chelsea.
The Irons welcome the Blues to London Stadium seeking a first top-flight win of the season after going down to a 3-0 defeat at Sunderland on the opening weekend.
Potter has made one change to the team which kicked-off at the Stadium of Light for the visit of his former employers from west London, bringing in Czechia international Souček. Argentina international Guido Rodríguez is the player who moves to the substitutes' bench.
Dane Mads Hermansen starts in goal behind a back three of Jean-Clair Todibo, Maximilian Kilman and Nayef Aguerd.
The wing-back positions will be filled by Hammer of the Year Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf.
Hermansen and Diouf both make their competitive home debuts, although the Senegal international played in the pre-season win over LOSC Lille of France at London Stadium a fortnight ago.
James Ward-Prowse will play his 406th Premier League game, which ranks him 40th on the competition’s all-time list, just two behind former Hammer Stewart Downing.
Brazil international Lucas Paquetá and Souček complete the midfield. Souček moves into eighth on the Club’s all-time Premier League appearance list with 196 to his name, one ahead of captain Jarrod Bowen and recently departed goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański.
Bowen will partner Niclas Füllkrug, who scored in the final three pre-season games against Everton, AFC Bournemouth and LOSC Lille, in attack. The skipper scored in the 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge last season and also hit the net in a 3-2 victory over Chelsea at London Stadium in December 2021.
Wing-back Kyle Walker-Peters could debut from the substitutes’ bench, having arrived in July after leaving Southampton.
The substitutes’ bench will be filled out by Alphonse Areola, Dinos Mavropanos, Ollie Scarles, Freddie Potts, Andy Irving, Callum Marshall - available again after suspension - and Callum Wilson.
Edson Álvarez is not involved.
West Ham United: Hermansen, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Aguerd, Diouf, Ward-Prowse, Souček, Paquetá, Bowen ©, Füllkrug
Subs: Areola (GK), Walker-Peters, Scarles, Mavropanos, Potts, Rodríguez, Irving, Marshall, Wilson
Chelsea: Sánchez, Gusto, Tosin, Chalobah, Cucurella, Caicedo ©, Fernández, Neto, Palmer, Pedro, Delap
Subs: Jörgensen (GK), James, Fofana, Acheampong, Hato, Essugo, Gittens, Santos, Estêvão
Referee: Michael Oliver
