West Ham manager confirms 1 change vs. Liverpool – and £27m striker returns – Liverpool FC

West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui has already confirmed one change to his starting lineup to visit Liverpool in the Carabao Cup, along with a fitness boost.

Lopetegui’s Hammers travel to Anfield in midweek on the back of a miserable run of form, without a win in their last three games and beaten 3-0 by Chelsea last time out.

It makes them outsiders to reach the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, and despite Arne Slot being expected to make significant changes to his lineup Liverpool will still be favourites to progress.

Still, West Ham arrive on Merseyside in a positive situation in terms of injuries, with striker Niclas Fullkrug back in training this week.

Fullkrug arrived from Dortmund in a deal worth £27 million over the summer, and though the Germany international has struggled to make an impact so far, Lopetegui told reporters on Tuesday he is relishing having “all the squad ready.”

Like Slot, he is due to make changes, with the Spaniard revealing in his pre-match press conference that Lukasz Fabianski will start in goal.

Fabianski, 39, has played backup to Alphonse Areola in the Premier League but has been established as Lopetegui’s cup goalkeeper.

Lopetegui added that “for sure there are going to be changes,” with the manager pressed on new signings such as midfielder Carlos Soler and centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo.

Todibo’s only start so far came in the second round win over Bournemouth but the Frenchman was brought off at half-time, while Paris Saint-Germain loanee Soler has only played 56 minutes over two cameo outings in the league.

“We have a lot of new players, players who have never played in the Premier League, and of course all of them have to adapt as soon as possible,” Lopetegui explained.

“We’ve had to help them, that’s why we are one team that is in construction.

“We’d like that to happen as soon as possible, and to be ready to have our best face in the rest of the season.

“But it’s true that we have to help a lot of them to adapt their skills to be able to compete with us.”

Possible West Ham XI: Fabianski; Coufal, Todibo, Kilman, Wan-Bissaka; Alvarez, Soucek, Soler; Bowen, Kudus, Ings