Tottenham vs West Ham: Adrian to replace under-fire Joe Hart as Andy Carroll returns

West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic concedes he could be the next Premier League coach to lose his job but is fully focused on returning to winning ways against Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup.

The Hammers suffered their fifth league defeat of the season after losing 3-0 to newly promoted Brighton and Hove Albion at the London Stadium last Friday [19 October], to leave Bilic on the precipice.

Ronald Koeman was dismissed by Everton on Monday [22 October] after defeat to Arsenal, further highlighting the fine tightrope which managers attempt to tread. Reports suggest Bilic has two games to save his job – the visit of Tottenham on Wednesday [25 October] and trip to Crystal Palace this Saturday [28 October] – but the Croatian is not getting distracted.

"If you ask me, in theory you know what's happening around you, like Koeman, there are always maybe three, four, five managers that are in this position and I am definitely one of them. Does it make me lose my focus, will or whatever? No," he said, according to Football.London.

"To be far, it gives you even more. I never gave up in my career, no matter which way of life, as a player, as a parent as a friend or manager, to be fair it is my biggest strength to be strong in hard times. Now I am facing a hard time, yes I am, but that doesn't scare me.

"I have a game tomorrow and that's all I am focused on. It is a very big game for us you know, I told you a few times, maybe not you personally but to the press that is all I can do, all that I am doing, is being totally focused and determined on my next training, next game. It is the only way you can expect things to turn around.

"I know the situation. I have a game tomorrow and that's all I am focused on. It is a very big game for us you know, I told you a few times, maybe not you personally but to the press that is all I can do, all that I am doing, is being totally focused and determined on my next training, next game. It is the only way you can expect things to turn around."

Despite failing to win five of the club's last eight games, Bilic has not lost faith in his players and many of the side which lost to Brighton could be retained against Tottenham to give them the opportunity to make amends for the defeat.

Striker Andy Carroll returns from suspension after his red card against Burnley, while James Collins and Diafra Sakho will both train ahead of the game. Collins has missed the last five games with an ankle problem and Sakho sat out the visit of Brighton with a back injury but are in contention for a cup return.

One player who does miss out is under-fire goalkeeper Joe Hart, after the England stopper came in for renewed criticism for a lacklustre display against the Seagulls last week. Cup 'keeper Adrian will deputise against Tottenham in the absence of the Manchester City loanee, but not in a reaction to his former according to Bilic.

"I will never lose my faith in the players, they are my team and with some of them, it is my third season here," added Bilic, who made 10 changes for the third round win over Bolton Wanderers. "With the new players, I was involved in them coming to the club, I rate them all very highly. It's a big part of my job to demand from them to play better but also to help them hit their form we all want them to hit. We all have the same aim, the same goal, short goal tomorrow or longer for the season and as I said it is my job to help them do it but definitely to lead them.

"Tomorrow is going to be Adrian, because he is a cup keeper. I do not want to pin point the players, not in front of the media and that, after we had a bad spell in the first three games when we conceded ten goals, we hit good form with clean sheets and against Brighton we made a few mistakes and shipped three goals but its not because of that Adrian will be in goal, it was a plan from the beginning of the season and Adrian did well in his games. He will be in goal tomorrow.

"Andy Carroll is back in the squad, we have Michail Antonio who is definitely out tomorrow because he had a knock on his ribs, matter of days. Very painful, got it in the first half and managed to play and he is going to be out. Also, Collins and Sakho. They are starting to train with us again, today for the first time so we will see but apart from that, we will see."