West Ham will aim to return to winning ways when they host newly promoted Fulham in a big London derby on Saturday evening.
The Hammers have faced a nightmare schedule over the past few weeks, with games against Leicester, Tottenham, Man City and Liverpool. However, they emerged with a great deal of credit.
David Moyes’ men beat Leicester 3-0 and then battled back from a three-goal deficit to draw with Spurs. They did really well to hold Man City to a 1-1 draw, and they can count themselves unfortunate to lose 2-1 to Liverpool.
A Gulf in Quality
It leaves West Ham 14th in the table, with eight points from seven matches. That is a pretty strong haul when you consider the calibre of opposition they have already faced.
They now have a far more appealing home game against Fulham on the horizon. The Cottagers took just one point from their opening six matches before finally picking up a victory over West Brom on Monday night.
That saw Fulham climb out of the relegation zone and up to 17th place. However, they remain the odds-on favourites to be relegated this season.
The club did not spend much money in the summer, and there is a distinct lack of quality in the squad. They have already conceded 14 goals in seven games, and West Ham will earmark this as a game they should win.
Antonio Likely to Miss Out
The hosts are likely to be without star striker Michail Antonio for this one, as he has an injury, but they should still have enough firepower to get the job done.
The performance levels have been impressive under Moyes this season, and the Hammers’ defence looks more solid than it has done for several years.
Declan Rice should win the midfield battle, and West Ham have the quality to hurt Fulham from wide areas. The odds on a home win look great.
Tip: West Ham to win
Stake: One Unit
