West Ham United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers: Two promotion favourites, two different starts
by Thobelani Moyo | by Thobelani Moyo
West Ham United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers: The Hammers promotion push faces early test against unbeaten Wolves
Both teams enter this clash having made contrasting starts to the Championship. Three games in, it appears West Ham United have made a slow start for a side whose objective is to secure immediate promotion back to the Premier League.
Whether it's the lack of getting out the best of players or the lack of tactical acumen, one thing's certain: the Hammers are struggling. They are languishing in the bottom half of the table with two points, three behind the promotion playoff spots.
It has been a poor return to the Championship as Nuno Espírito Santo's men have failed to win any of their opening three games. This includes two draws and a solitary loss to Charlton Athletic. Their recent match was a 1-1 draw against Watford away from home, and one cannot deny it was an improved display from a side that saw 62% of the ball.
Now, West Ham United face former Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers aiming to record their first win of the season. However, their opponents won't be a walkover considering their impressive start.
Wolves return to the Championship for the first time in more than eight years and have the same objective as their opponents in this upcoming clash. So far, there are no complaints about how they've begun life in English second-tier football.
A three-match unbeaten run and two straight wins on the bounce against Preston North End and Stoke City currently see them in second place in the standings with seven points, two behind early pacesetters Charlton Athletic at the top of the table.
Their 4-1 demolition of Stoke City at Molineux sent a strong message to the rest of the league about their attacking capabilities. Alongside Southampton, they are the only teams that boast the league's best attack, having netted nine goals across three games.
This isn't surprising for a side that is creating 2.07 xG (expected goals) per match, which is a league average of 1.46. Hopefully that firepower should come in handy at a venue where they've struggled for positive results.
Head-to-Head: The London Stadium has given Wolves some issues
This marks the 50th meeting between these two sides across competitions, and West Ham United have the upper hand with 20 wins, while Wolves are right behind with 19 wins.
Their meetings have never produced a draw since October 2010, when they settled for a 1-1 draw in the Premier League, suggesting that one side has always managed to find a way to win.
This is why our experts are suggesting an away win as their secondary option, as highlighted in our West Ham vs Wolves prediction her, with the hosts expected to struggle because of their poor start.
Both sides are meeting in the Championship for the first time since 2005. Wolves ran out 4-2 winners in their final match at this level, ending a three-match winless run (D1, L2).
This time around, the two teams have been evenly matched with three wins apiece from their last eight meetings, and the remaining two ending in draws.
For César Peixoto's side, this is a chance for them to have a slight upper hand and end their struggles at the London Stadium. This venue has been a nightmare as they have not won here since June 2020 in the Premier League.
Wolverhampton Wanderers last six matches at the London Stadium:
- 27 September 2020: West Ham United 4-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
- 27 February 2022: West Ham United 1-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
- 01 October 2022: West Ham United 2-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
- 17 December 2023: West Ham United 3-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
- 09 December 2024: West Ham United 2-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
- 10 April 2026: West Ham United 4-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Hopefully, West Ham United can use their impressive home record as a springboard to claim all three points, as failure to do so this evening could leave Nuno Espírito Santo on the edge of the sack.
