Predicted: West Ham get late injury boost to key star as Nuno Espirito Santo spared big change for Burnley

Nuno Espirito Santo has been weighing up a major change to his West Ham team for the crucial six-pointer with Burnley but now there’s been a late twist.

West Ham welcome Burnley to the London Stadium knowing a 3-0 win would elevate them out of the Premier League relegation zone.

The Hammers pulled off a superb and surprise 3-1 win over Newcastle last weekend.

It was undeniably West Ham’s best and most complete 90-minute performance for nearly two years.

Now Nuno Espirito Santo is looking to add another feather to his Hammers cap by leading the club to back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since December 2023.

Nuno finally finds a settled side at West Ham

Logic says West Ham should be confident of victory after deservedly beating Champions League Newcastle.

But the Hammers and logic rarely belong in the same sentence.

Many cynics would argue it would be typical of West Ham to pull off a result against a team like Newcastle only to lose at home to a relegation rival in the next game.

It felt like a penny dropped in the victory over the Magpies, though.

The proof will come in the performance and result against the Clarets, though, with West Ham determined to go into the November international break on a positive note.

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The big battle for Nuno since his arrival has been finding and settling on a consistent team selection.

His left-field changes and choices in the woeful defeats to Brentford and Leeds saw Nuno face criticism for the first time as Hammers boss.

The Portuguese came to his senses against Newcastle, though, with a starting XI much more in line with the thinking and expectations of fans.

It worked too and many feel that was partly down to Nuno starting with an actual recognised striker in Callum Wilson.

The experienced former England man had been snubbed by Nuno until he was forced to bring him on as a substitute at Leeds.

West Ham get late injury boost to key star Wilson

Wilson started against Newcastle and helped West Ham with their shape, giving them something to build off.

The 33-year-old came off in the second half, replaced by midfielder Tomas Soucek.

And the reason why became clear this week when Wilson missed training due to a knock.

Nuno faced a dilemma with Wilson a major doubt for Burnley.

That was a real shame for the Hammers because Wilson has 12 goals against Burnley in his last 12 games against them.

But now West Ham have received a late injury boost to a key star as Nuno is spared a big change for Burnley.

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Wilson, who has a long history of injuries, missed training this week after the Newcastle win.

That was confirmed by the fact he was nowhere to be seen in video released from West Ham in training as they geared up for the Clarets.

Nuno also revealed in his pre-match press conference that some players were doubts after picking up knocks against Newcastle.

Wilson was one of those players while Aaron Wan-Bissaka was said to be another nursing a slight knock.

Losing Wilson, with Niclas Fullkrug also sidelined until after the break, would have forced Nuno to make a big call up front.

Nuno spared big change for Burnley after Wilson ‘OK’

Whether that be starting young Callum Marshall or the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta or even Soucek deputising there.

But Hammers News has spoken to a top source inside the club ahead of the game and they had great news regarding Wilson.

While it has not been confirmed whether Wilson has been passed fit to face the Clarets, a top West Ham source told Hammers News: “I don’t know (if he is available to start).

“But he was OK on Thursday.”

That means Nuno may not have a selection headache after all.

He was having to mull over who to bring in to replace Wilson but now he is expected to line up with the same team which started against the Magpies.

Predicted West Ham starting XI for Burnley:

Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Kilman, Todibo, Diouf, Potts, Fernandes, Paqueta, Summerville, Bowen, Wilson.

The official team will be announced at 1.45pm.