Hull City vs West Ham: Aaron Cresswell facing the axe despite Slaven Bilic backing

Aaron Cresswell’s public support of West Ham manager Slaven Bilic this week may not save the full-back from being dropped from the first team.

West Ham have lost their last three Premier League matches and have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last eight and Bilic, who was warned by club co-owner David Sullivan that results must improve, is seriously considering making changes for Saturday’s crucial match at Hull.

Cresswell came out in support of Bilic earlier this week but his place in the team for Saturday could be in jeopardy. The former Tranmere and Ipswich defender, who won his first England cap last November against Spain, could be replaced by Arthur Masuaku at Hull.

The 27-year-old Liverpool-born defender was one of West Ham’s most consistent performers last season but badly injured an ankle in a pre-season match in Germany and has struggled to return to peak form.

Former Olympiacos full-back Masuaku has himself been out injured for a significant part of this season but is now fully fit and impressed when replacing Cresswell in the second half of West Ham’s most recent match, a 3-2 home defeat by Leicester.

Bilic will be forced to make other changes, with central defender Winston Reid, midfielder Pedro Obiang and striker Michail Antonio all missing through injury.

Antonio, though, could be back for West Ham’s Premier League London derby clash at Arsenal next Wednesday. He pulled out of the recent England squad after suffering a hamstring injury against Leicester but is back in light training.

Cheikhou Kouyate is expected to fill in for Reid in the back four at Hull, while club captain Mark Noble, who missed the Leicester match through injury, is expected to return in place of Obiang.

Andre Ayew looks certain to retain his place, while Swiss international Edimilson Fernandes could also come in.​