So, Dane Hermansen starts in goal and will be protected by a back four of Walker-Peters, Dinos Mavropanos, Kilman and El Hadji Malick Diouf, who made history in Nottingham earlier this summer as part of the Senegal team that defeated England in June.
Ahead of them, James Ward-Prowse, who spent the first half of the last campaign on loan at the City Ground and provided two assists in a thrilling 3-2 Premier League victory over the Tricky Trees at London Stadium in November 2023, and Czechia captain Souček will likely patrol the midfield as a double pivot, with Fernandes taking on the attacking mantle from the centre.
Captain Jarrod Bowen – playing his 242nd West Ham game – and Lucas Paquetá, who has enjoyed a stellar start to the season, having struck for the second time in as many games in all competitions at Molineux, will flank Füllkrug in what looks like a very attacking formation.
The bench will be filled by goalkeeper Areola, wing-backs Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Ollie Scarles, centre-back Todibo, midfielders Freddie Potts, Rodríguez, Andy Irving, exciting winger Summerville and striker Callum Wilson.
Nottingham Forest: Sels, Aina, Murillo, Milenković, Williams, Sangaré, Anderson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Ndoye, Wood
Subs: Gunn (GK), Morato, Boly, Luiz, Yates, McAtee, Hutchinson, Jesus, Kalimuendo
West Ham United: Hermansen, Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Kilman, Diouf, Fernandes, Ward-Prowse, Souček, Paquetá, Bowen ©, Füllkrug
Subs: Areola (GK), Wan-Bissaka, Scarles, Todibo, Potts, Rodríguez, Irving, Summerville, Wilson
Referee: Craig Pawson