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Graham Potter takes his West Ham side to Villa Park for the second time in a little over two weeks on Sunday.

Our last visit to the Midlands came just over 24 hours after Potter was confirmed as the club’s new Head Coach. Despite losing 2-1 and exiting the FA Cup, it was a much-improved performance that showed there is plenty of promise in this current crop of players.

But it also came at the cost of losing both Niclas Fullkrug and Crysencio Summerville, making it difficult for Potter to build on the positives on show against Aston Villa.

Last time out, against Crystal Palace at home, a lack of forward options showed just how desperate we are for returning players and new recruits, as we fell to a 2-0 defeat.

There are signs of both happening ahead of this weekend, though.

While a new signing won’t come in time, there is hope that at least one, perhaps even two, attacking players might return in time.

Summerville limped off at Villa Park two weeks ago and has been sidelined ever since but Potter has hinted that he may be available again this coming weekend, although it’s still touch and go.

Given shortages in attack, it’s more likely that the former Leeds man will be rushed back to action instead of the main man and club captain.

Jarrod Bowen is the one we’ve all been waiting for and the club teased his imminent return earlier this week with footage of him back in training with the team.

Potter admitted in his pre-match press conference that it’s still early in his recovery and he does not want to force him back too soon. But that’s not entirely ruling him out, so we might just see him on the bench this weekend.

Meanwhile, one player we definitely won’t be seeing this weekend is Konstantinos Mavropanos, who is suspended after his two yellow cards last weekend. That does leave Potter with an issue in defence, with only Max Kilman available as the only senior centre-back.

He could play Aaron Cresswell alongside him but it’s more likely that Academy graduate Kaelan Casey is handed his first Premier League start at the centre of defence.

So this is how I’m predicting West Ham will line-up against Aston Villa on Sunday…