When and where?
West Ham United v Middlesbrough
Premier League
London Stadium
Saturday 1 October 2016, 3pm BST
What’s the story?
West Ham United will be looking for a boost going into the international break when they host Middlesbrough in the Premier League on Saturday.
A run of four straight defeats in the league has left Slaven Bilic’s men 18th in the table, with three points from their opening six games.
Back-to-back losses at London Stadium – to Watford and Southampton – mean the Hammers need to get back on track at home against Boro, with two weeks between fixtures following this one.
Middlesbrough, who include former Hammer Stewart Downing in their ranks, ended a seven-year spell in the Championship with promotion last term, finishing runners-up to Burnley.
Under manager Aitor Karanka, Boro were beaten play-off finalists the year before and were rewarded for their steady improvement last term.
This season, they began with an unbeaten run of three games, drawing with Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion, and defeating Sunderland in the Tees-Wear derby.
However, a sequence of three defeats has followed, with Crystal Palace, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur all getting the better of the Riverside Stadium side.
They currently sit 16th in the table with five points.
Team news
The Hammers will be without Havard Nordtveit, after he underwent a small medical procedure this week.
He joins Andre Ayew, Aaron Cresswell, Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho on the sidelines, although both Cresswell and Carroll are due to return after the international break.
For Middlesbrough, winger Adama Traore is pushing for a start after impressing from the bench against Tottenham.
Defender Fabio Da Silva is back in training and could feature at London Stadium.
image: https://az834416.vo.
Any links between the two?
Yes! Stewart Downing rejoined his hometown club in the summer of 2015 after two seasons with the Hammers.
The England winger scored seven goals in 79 games for West Ham, before returning to Middlesbrough, where he began his career.
Elsewhere, Sofiane Feghouli played with Boro duo Alvaro Negredo and Antonio Barragan at Valencia.
The teams last met in the Hammers’ Championship play-off winning season in 2011/12, drawing 1-1 at the Boleyn Ground after West Ham triumphed 2-0 in the north east.
How can I get to the game?
Click here for information on how to get to London Stadium.
Supporters who use Abellio Greater Anglia rail services should take note of route closures.
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How can I watch the game?
The match is not being broadcast live in the UK, but you can follow all the action on whufc.com. We've got live audio commentary, in-running stats, photos and more. Get involved in the conversation on social using #WHUMID
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