West Ham are hopeful that Andy Carroll will be available for selection on Saturday as they welcome West Brom in the Premier League.

The striker had picked up a minor groin injury with doubts lingering over his inclusion, but manager Slaven Bilic is optimistic that he can be included in the squad.

"It is not anything major. Andy felt something similar to what he had at Middlesbrough and hopefully he will be okay for Saturday," he said.

"This is the only week he didn't train with us basically since he came back from injury that ruled him out for a long time. He is a top player. He brings you everything, everything that you could ask from a centre-forward."

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The Hammers welcome a West Brom side who are five points ahead of them in the Premier League table and are unbeaten in their last three top flight encounters.

Tony Pulis' men can maintain the pressure on Everton in seventh place - four points ahead of the Baggies - with a victory at the London Stadium.

Team news

West Ham boss Bilic will check on Aaron Cresswell's tight hamstring and Cheikhou Kouyate, who has a dead leg ahead of Saturday's game.

Sam Byram (hamstring) and Havard Nordtveit (ankle) are back in contention but Diafra Sakho (back) and Angelo Ogbonna (knee) are long-term absentees.

Jonny Evans and Claudio Yacob are ready to return for West Brom, with Evans having missed the last five games with a calf problem while Yacob was sidelined for the 1-0 win over Stoke with the club concerned he had appendicitis.

The midfielder required hospital treatment but the problem was not as bad as first feared and he is expected to be in the travelling squad.

Opta stats

WATCH: So'ton 1-3 West Ham

Watch highlights from West Ham's 3-1 victory over Southampton last weekend.

West Ham are unbeaten in their last seven home Premier League meetings against the Baggies, though five have been draws (W2).

West Brom's last top-flight win over the Hammers came in September 2002, with Jason Roberts scoring the only goal to give the Baggies their first-ever Premier League away victory.

However, the Baggies' last away win at West Ham came in the second tier in November 2003; when they came from 3-0 down to win 4-3.

Mark Noble has scored three Premier League goals against West Brom - only against Southampton (4) has he scored more.

Carroll needs one goal to become only the fifth West Ham player to score 30 Premier League goals for the club after Paolo Di Canio (47), Carlton Cole (41), Trevor Sinclair (37) and Noble (33). Carroll has hit four goals in five Premier League appearances in 2017; no other Hammers player has more than one.

West Brom's last two league goals have both been scored by James Morrison and both were scored in the sixth minute of the game.

Only Kevin De Bruyne (9) has assisted more Premier League goals than Matt Phillips this season (8). Phillips has both scored and assisted in three different Premier League games this season - no player has done so in more.

WATCH: West Brom 1-0 Stoke

Match highlights from West Brom's 1-0 win over Stoke from last weekend.

The Hammers have conceded four or more goals in three of their 12 Premier League games at London Stadium - they did so in just three of their last 106 games at Upton Park.

The Baggies are averaging the lowest possession in the Premier League this season (37 per cent) - they're the only side yet to have more possession than their opponents in a single Premier League game this season.

Merson's prediction

You simply cannot predict which West Ham team will turn up. One day Manchester City rip them to shreds and then the next they're tearing Southampton apart. West Brom are turning into one of those teams you would struggle to go against. Tony Pulis has built a really good team and they are, in my opinion, the best of the rest outside of the top six, which is quite an achievement.

PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1 (5/1 with Sky Bet)

Betting

West Ham are Sky Bet's 6/5 favourites for the victory with West Brom 23/10, the same price as the draw. Both sides head into the clash as odds-on chances for a top-half finish, while a repeat of the Baggies' 4-2 victory in the reverse fixture is an 80/1 chance. Andy Carroll heads the first goalscorer betting at 9/2 with Salomon Rondon considered the visitors' main threat at 13/2, while the strike duo are 7/1 to both find the net.

There's £250,000 up for grabs again this weekend for simply predicting the six correct scores. Enter your selections by 3pm here.