West Ham United will host Wolverhampton Wanderers this Saturday as both teams return to Premier League action following a three-month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.
With West Ham and Wolves in contrasting positions in the league, both will be desperate to gain three points on Saturday. The outcome of the match could prove decisive by the end of the season.
West Ham and Wolves Vying for Points at Opposite Ends of the Premier League
Key Premier League Points Available for West Ham and Wolves
The Hammers sit just outside the relegation zone and will be hoping to turn a corner under David Moyes. The east Londoners are only propped up in 16th by their slightly superior goal difference over Watford and Bournemouth, who share West Ham’s 27 points.
With just one win in their last ten in all competitions, things looked bleak for West Ham. However, Moyes will be hoping the three-month break will rejuvenate his side. The Hammers’ home form has been a cause for concern this season. They only won four home matches from 14 all season. However, they did lose just once in their last five league matches at home.
Wolves will want to close the gap on the Champions League places. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are just five points adrift of Chelsea in fourth, who they face on the final day of the season. Eight of Wolves’ remaining nine fixtures are against teams below them in the league. They will certainly be hoping to capitalise on this in the coming weeks.
Santo’s side have one of the best away records in the league. They lost just three league matches away all season and are unbeaten in three on the road.
West Ham are unbeaten in their last three meetings with Wolves (won two, drawn one). Their last meeting earlier this season ended in a 1-1 draw at Molineux. Wolves last beat the Hammers in September 2018, a 1-0 home victory.
Team News
Angelo Ogbonna is recovering from a knee injury and is a doubt, but could feature against Wolves. Jack Wilshere returned from injury recently and will be a welcome boost for Moyes. The former England international returned to fitness in behind-closed-doors fixtures against Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace recently.
Santo appears to have a fully-fit and available squad. Adama Traore is fully fit following a dislocated shoulder, while defender Jonny Castro Otto and midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White recovered from respective knocks before the Premier League suspension.
Prediction
West Ham will be a tough proposition for Wolves this weekend. They showed gradual improvement under Moyes before the season suspended, arguably producing their performance of the season in the 3-1 home win over Southampton.
Wolves are in better form and boast a fantastic squad, who will have been grateful for the break having played 48 games already this season. However, the Hammers will grind out a result at the London Stadium in a bid to scrape clear of the allegations zone.
Prediction: West Ham 1- 0 Wolves
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