Former West Ham captain Kevin Nolan has called on the club’s stars to take responsibility and turn their season around.

After finishing seventh last term, the Hammers were tipped to continue their upward ascent following their high-profile move to the London Stadium.

However, they are yet to gel, with injuries and poor form seeing them win just once in the Premier League this season, while they were also knocked out of the Europa League by Astra Giurgiu.

Last Sunday’s 3-0 home defeat to Southampton appeared to mark a low point for the club, with their abject performance even leading to suggestions that boss Slaven Bilic could be sacked.

Nolan has been a keen onlooker, having left the East Londoners last August after four years as West Ham’s captain.

Ahead of Saturday’s clash with Middlesbrough, the 34-year-old has called on the players to rally round and dig their way out of their current predicament.

“Looking from the outside, it has been a difficult start to the season for the Hammers,” Nolan told the club’s official website.

“The injuries have not helped and I have sympathy with Slaven and the lads in that regard, but it is now up to the players on the pitch to stand up and be counted.

“This is a time when the big characters need to stand up and inspire themselves and their teammates.

We have got plenty of big characters at the Club like Nobes (Mark Noble), Ginge (James Collins), Andy (Carroll), Cheikhou (Kouyate) and Adrian, from those I played with, and they need to let the whole squad know that the players are the only ones who can get themselves out of the current situation.”

Despite their poor form, the Hammers are the 2.15 favourites to win on Saturday, with the draw 3.30 and Boro 3.60.