West Ham United return to domestic cup action tonight as they prepare to mount a bid to win the Carabao Cup, with League One side Lincoln City welcoming David Moyes' side to the LNER Stadium.
The Hammers have been in fine form this season and, despite losing the past two Premier League matches to Manchester City and Liverpool, will hope to build on last season's success in winning the Europa Conference League title.
The Carabao Cup is probably the lesser of the four competitions the Hammers are fighting in this term, but will be one Moyes will hope to win nonetheless, but he must ensure a potential banana skin is avoided against the Imps.
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Aaron Cresswell is still sidelined with injury and will miss the trip to Lincoln, so Ben Johnson is likely to start at left-back.
Having impressed on his debut against Backa Topola in the Europea League last week, £19m summer signing Konstantinos Mavropanos is expected to start in defence alongside veteran Angelo Ogbonna.
Moyes could opt for a two-man axis in the middle, partnering Thomas Soucek in the middle with Pablo Fornals.
In attack, Said Benrahma and Maxwel Cornet are both sure to start, but whether Mohammed Kudus gets the nod after starting from the bench in the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday remains to be seen.
Yet to start in the Premier League this term, Danny Ings may well start up front, but West Ham's Scottish manager should consider the possibility of starting precocious youngster Divin Mubama as the spearhead, with the forthcoming tie possibly the perfect chance for him to showcase his skills.
Should West Ham start Divin Mubama vs Lincoln?
The 18-year-old striker has only made six appearances for West Ham, but has already scored his first goal and supplied his first assist, with both contributions coming in the Conference League last season.
Indeed, etching a goal and an assist across his two performances in Europe, Mubama has made his early mark and will now hope for the current campaign to be one of great strides on a personal level.
That maiden goal certainly caught the eye of journalist Josh Bunting, who said: ”Divin Mubama with his first West Ham senior goal. Has been flying for the youth teams this season but he has a massive future ahead of him. Is quick to adapt into different play styles. Not just a goal-scorer but has that link up play. Protects the ball very smartly for his age.”
Praised for his "instrumental" role in the Hammers' youth set-up by Academy manager Kenny Brown, having plundered 54 goals and seven assists from 86 outings for the U18s and U21s, Mubama knows where the back of the net is and could use the match against Lincoln as the perfect seasonal launchpad to set him in his stride.
While very much in the embryonic stage, the 6-foot Mubama boasts enough offensive ability to start over Ings and indeed Michail Antonio – who came under fire for his non-entity performance against the Reds last weekend, taking only 24 touches and completing only five passes all game, as per Sofascore.
Both strikers are distinguished veterans at the highest level, but perhaps now the time is apt for a changing of the guard, and Mubama is the man for the job.