Etherington to give Hammers lift

Matthew Etherington returns to the West Ham team after suspension for tonight's home match against relegation-haunted Wimbledon.

Manager Alan Pardew could be forced into making another change, however, with Hayden Mullins struggling with a back injury. Experienced Welsh international Andy Melville is likely to come in, with Tomas Repka moving to right-back.

West Ham will move to within seven points of second-placed West Bromwich if they win tonight and Pardew said: "We're not giving up on that second spot until it is mathematically impossible. But we do need to raise our game from Saturday's performance against Walsall. They made it difficult for us and we just could not find a way through."