Sam Allardyce has made four changes as West Ham United bid to close the gap on leaders Southampton at sixth-placed Hull City this afternoon.

Alongside dislocated shoulder victim Winston Reid, Joey O’Brien also misses out from the side that was held to a disappointing goalless draw at Upton Park on Tuesday by Bristol City, while Freddie Sears and Frederic Piquionne drop to the bench.

Their places are taken by Abdoulaye Faye, Papa Bouba Diop, Jack Collison and John Carew.

The Hammers are unbeaten in three but the Tigers were on a nine-game undefeated run until they went down 2-1 at Barnsley in midweek.

Keeper Adriano Basso suffered a knee injury in that match and had to be replaced by Peter Gulacsi in the second half. Gulacsi starts this fixture, while the only other change sees Dele Adebola come in for Robbie Brady in what is expected to be a 4-3-3 formation.

Hull City: Gulasci; Rosenior, Chester, Hobbs, Dudgeon; McKenna, Evans, Koren; Mclean, Adebola, Fryatt. Substitutes: Basso, Cairney, McShane, Harper, Brady.

West Ham United: Green; Faubert, Faye, Tomkins, McCartney; Collison, Diop, Nolan, Noble, Baldock; Carew. Substitutes: Cole, Sears, Kurucz, Piquionne, Potts.