7M - Premier League Preview: West Ham Utd vs Wolves - prediction, team news, lineups

Two Premier League sides entrenched in the relegation battle meet at the London Stadium on Friday, as West Ham United host bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers in a crucial six-pointer.

West Ham enter the fixture seeking redemption after a 3-0 defeat at Molineux in January's reverse meeting. The Hammers recently exited the FA Cup following a penalty shootout loss to Leeds United, having fought back to force a 2-2 draw after extra time. In the league, a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa before the international break leaves them 18th, just one point behind 17th-placed Tottenham.

Defensive vulnerabilities have plagued West Ham this season, particularly from set pieces. They have conceded 17 Premier League goals from dead-ball situations (excluding penalties), the most in the division, and only shipped more in a single campaign during 2002-03 (18). However, their home form has shown signs of improvement, with just one loss in their last six Premier League matches at the London Stadium (W1 D4), accumulating seven points compared to six from their first nine home fixtures.

Wolves, meanwhile, have staged a notable recovery since an 11-game losing streak between October and December. Under Rob Edwards, they have lost just four of their last 13 league matches (W3 D6), conceding only 15 goals in that span—fewer than all but Arsenal, Manchester City and Brighton. Their recent form ranks ninth in the Premier League over the last six gameweeks (W2 D3 L1), highlighted by home wins over Aston Villa (2-0) and Liverpool (2-1), followed by a 2-2 draw at Brentford.

Despite this upturn, Wolves sit 13 points from safety with only seven matches remaining, making their survival task monumental. A renewed attacking sharpness has fueled their resurgence, with Edwards's side scoring two goals in each of their last three league outings (W2 D1). This six-goal return nearly matches their output from the previous eight fixtures combined (seven), marking their most consistent scoring run since November 2024.

Head-to-head, West Ham have won their last five Premier League home meetings with Wolves, a streak surpassed only by consecutive runs against Blackburn, Middlesbrough and Sunderland. However, Wolves have beaten West Ham eight times since 2018, with only Southampton suffering more defeats against them in that period.

Team News

West Ham face several injury concerns. Crysencio Summerville, Jean-Clair Todibo (both calf), Konstantinos Mavropanos (head) and Callum Wilson (unspecified) are all doubts, while goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski (back) remains out. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who missed the FA Cup defeat after being detained with DR Congo following their World Cup qualification, has returned to training and should be available.

Jarrod Bowen has scored six Premier League goals against Wolves, more than versus any other opponent, with five of those coming in his last five home meetings. He could lead the line alongside Valentin Castellanos and either Pablo or former Wolves winger Adama Traore.

For Wolves, defender Enso Gonzalez (knee) is ruled out and goalkeeper Sam Johnstone is doubtful with a knock, but the remainder of the squad is fit. Joao Gomes, Andre and Yerson Mosquera are all one booking away from a two-game suspension but are expected to start. Teenager Mateus Mane, who scored in January's 3-0 win over West Ham, is in contention for a midfield or forward role, with Tolu Arokodare or Hwang Hee-chan potential partners for Adam Armstrong up front.

Predicted Lineups

West Ham: Hermansen; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Disasi, Diouf; Fernandes, Magassa, Soucek; Bowen, Pablo, Castellanos

Wolves: Sa; Mosquera, S. Bueno, Krejci; Tchatchoua, J. Gomes, Andre, Mane, H. Bueno; Armstrong, Arokodare

Prediction: West Ham United 2-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers

None of the last 16 Premier League meetings between these sides have ended in a draw, with each team winning eight. West Ham have failed to score in all eight of those defeats, but a motivated home side, desperate to climb out of the relegation zone, may find the breakthrough. While Wolves have shown resilience, the pressure of their situation and West Ham's home advantage could prove decisive.