Wolves vs West Ham United: Premier League Preview

Wolves: Fighting to Stay Above the Drop Zone

Sitting 17th in the Premier League with 26 points, Wolves are just above the relegation zone, holding a nine-point cushion over 18th-placed Ipswich Town and 19th-placed Leicester City. While that buffer may seem relatively comfortable, a defeat here could allow Ipswich to close the gap significantly ahead of their crucial meeting next week.

Vitor Pereira’s side enter the match off the back of a gritty 2-1 victory over Southampton, a result that was more about efficiency than dominance. Despite generating just 0.36 expected goals (xG) to Southampton’s 1.37, Wolves took their chances and held on for three valuable points. That win also ended a stretch of games in which they had conceded first in four consecutive matches.

The hosts have been patchy at Molineux, losing five of their last seven home games, and their record in recent outings includes three defeats in their past five at home. That said, Wolves have scored in eight straight matches in all competitions, showing signs of attacking consistency.

West Ham: Seeking Stability on the Road

West Ham make the trip to the West Midlands after a frustrating 1-1 draw with Everton last time out, where they were denied victory by a 91st-minute equaliser. Despite taking the lead through Tomas Soucek, the Hammers created little else of note and were perhaps fortunate to come away with a point.

Graham Potter’s side are currently 16th with 34 points, eight clear of their hosts. They’ve shown some signs of improvement recently, losing only once in their last four league games (W2 D1 L1), but they were beaten in six of the eight matches prior to that.

Away form remains a concern for the visitors, who have only managed one win in their last six road games, losing three of those. Nonetheless, they do hold the upper hand in this particular fixture, having beaten Wolves 2-1 in the reverse meeting back in December – a result that extended their winning streak over the Midlands club to three consecutive games.

Head-to-Head & Key Stats

• West Ham have won their last three meetings against Wolves.
• Wolves are unbeaten in their last two Premier League games but have lost three of their last five at home.
• West Ham have only scored six goals in their last eight league games.
• Wolves have found the net in each of their last eight matches in all competitions.

Team News

Wolves:

• Matheus Cunha remains suspended and will miss Tuesday’s clash.
• Enso Gonzalez, Leon Chiwome, and Sasa Kalajdzic are sidelined through injury.
• The front three from the Southampton win – Jorgen Strand Larsen, Marshall Munetsi, and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde – could retain their places.
• In defence, Matt Doherty, Emmanuel Agbadou, and Toti Gomes are likely to start in front of goalkeeper Jose Sa, with Yerson Mosquera still out long-term.

West Ham:

• Michail Antonio, Niclas Fullkrug, and Crysencio Summerville are all ruled out.
• Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen may once again be deployed as a forward duo.
• Behind them, Lucas Paqueta, James Ward-Prowse, and Tomas Soucek are expected to form the midfield core.
• Defensively, Jean-Clair Todibo, Konstantinos Mavropanos, and Max Kilman are likely to form a back three in front of Alphonse Areola.

What to Expect

With both sides eager to put more distance between themselves and the bottom three, this clash at Molineux carries significant weight. Wolves will look to use their home advantage to build momentum, while West Ham aim to reverse their inconsistent away form and extend their recent dominance in this fixture. Expect a tightly contested encounter with plenty at stake.