West Ham moved up one place to 16th in the Premier League table following a 1-1 draw at Manchester United on Sunday.

Slaven Bilic’s side took the lead through Diafra Sakho’s header 90 seconds into the contest, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic equalised 19 minutes later to secure a point for Jose Mourinho’s side.

Nevertheless, it was a good point and an encouraging display from the Hammers, both of which have been hard to come by this season.

Bilic’s men have won just three of their opening 13 league games yet, since the Croat switched to a back three, West Ham have improved both defensively and going forward, and picked up important 1-0 victories over Crystal Palace and Sunderland last month.

They have a League Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford on Wednesday as a welcome distraction from their league campaign, as they go in search of their first ever League Cup title.

Nonetheless, with January fast approaching and the Hammers just a point above the bottom three, Bilic will already be thinking about how he can improve his squad in the January transfer window.

One area he may seek to improve is the backline, so here is West Ham’s dream back three, including one key January target…

Cheikhou Kouyate

Senegalese international Cheikhou Kouyate has been one of the most improved players at West Ham since they went to a back three.

The 26-year-old struggled in the early stages of the season to command the midfield with the authority needed in the Premier League, but he has been an absolute revelation as part of the Hammers back three in recent weeks.

Kouyate was excellent against both Crystal Palace and Sunderland last month, and was equally impressive against Tottenham and Manchester United in the last fortnight.

You get the sense that his form could be crucial in what the Hammers achieve this season.

Winston Reid

Another player who has adapted well to the new system, Winston Reid is dependable at the back for West Ham.

The 28-year-old has been a mainstay in the Hammers defence ever since his arrival in 2010, and stayed with the club in the 2011/12 season to get them back up to the Premier League from the Championship.

Like Kouyate, Reid appears to have enjoyed the change to a back three, and more consistent displays from him will help the Hammers improve defensively as the season progresses.

Dominic Iorfa

Although Angelo Ogbonna has been the other key cog in the West Ham back three recently, the club have been linked with Wolves defender Dominic Iorfa, who looks like a serious talent.

The 21-year-old made his breakthrough last season at Molineux, appearing 42 times and earning many rave reviews for his displays at both left-back and centre-back.

And it’s this versatility which could seriously benefit West Ham this season.

Bilic has played a back three recently, and Iorfa could play a part of on the left side given his tendencies to go wide anyway, in the same way that Cesar Azpilicueta is having similar success at Chelsea.

He could also play as part of a back four, either at full-back or at the heart of the defence, and it’s these options that West Ham should deem advantageous as they pursue the England Under-21 international.

They have also been linked with Sunderland’s Lamine Kone in recent weeks, but Iorfa’s versatility and the fact he’s only 21 would be a better option for the Hammers.