Molineux go host serious six-pointer for Premier League relegation battle this Saturday as bottom team Wolverhampton Wanderers welcome fellow strugglers West Ham United. Wolves dey try build on their last result, while West Ham dey find their first league win in almost two months.
Match Preview
Rob Edwards and him Wolves side dey stare history for face, and no be good one. As e stand, Wolves dey on course to become the worst team wey ever play Premier League, and dem go desperate to ignite survival fire as dem start 2026 campaign.
The Old Gold go take small encouragement from their 1-1 draw against Manchester United on Tuesday, especially the fighting spirit wey make dem come back from behind for Old Trafford to snatch one point. That result finally stop their terrible 11-game losing run for the league.
Still, make we no deceive ourselves: Wolves never win league match this entire 2025-26 season, even as dem don reach halfway mark. With 19 games left, dem dey 15 points behind safety at the bottom of the table. No matter the small improvement under Edwards, defensive issues still dey choke dem.
Stat don even show say Wolves dey unlucky in some way. Dem don underperform their expected goals (xG) position by 16.8 points, the worst gap for the whole league. That one mean say dem performances dey better pass the results dem dey get.
But football no dey count grammar. Wolves poor finishing plus shaky defence don cost dem heavily. Dem don concede 40 league goals already this season, more than two goals per match on average. You no fit survive league like that.
For West Ham side, Nuno Espirito Santo own situation no too better. The Hammers dey on eight-game winless run too, and dem go see this match as golden chance to close gap to safety.
Their latest outing end in dramatic 2-2 draw against Brighton, match wey get three penalties. West Ham lucky say Danny Welbeck miss second penalty, if not story fit different. That draw leave West Ham 18th with 14 points, just four points behind 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.
West Ham fans fit get small hope as dem don lose just one of their last four away games, even though dem don win just once on the road all season. If dem fit win this match, e go be their first league victory since dem beat Burnley 3-2 on November 8.
Three points here go put serious pressure on Forest and others, but defeat fit send West Ham down to 19th for worst-case scenario. Na real relegation six-pointer this one.
Team News
Wolves injury list long well-well. Centre-backs Santiago Bueno and Toti Gomes dey out, with Toti still recovering from hamstring injury. Because of that, Matt Doherty, Yerson Mosquera and Ladislav Krejci likely go form back three.
Wing-backs Jackson Tchatchoua and Hugo Bueno go likely start, especially as Rodrigo Gomes don dey out since October with groin problem. Midfield wahala too dey, as Jean-Ricner Bellegarde dey sidelined with hamstring injury, while Marshall Munetsi dey recover from calf issue.
Because of that, Edwards fit start Jhon Arias and Mateus Mane ahead of Joao Gomes for midfield support. For goal, Daniel Bentley dey unavailable with ankle injury, but Jose Sa go take over between the sticks.
For West Ham, injury matter no too serious. Only centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo dey out, and na minor knock wey fit clear soon. Konstantinos Mavropanos and Max Kilman go likely pair for central defence.
Possible Starting Lineups
Wolverhampton Wanderers:
Sa; Mosquera, Doherty, Krejci; Tchatchoua, Arias, J Gomes, Mane, H Bueno; Arokodare, Strand Larsen
West Ham United:
Areola; Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Kilman, Scarles; Magassa, Potts; Bowen, Fernandes, Paqueta; Wilson
Prediction
We say: Wolves 2-2 West Ham
Even though Wolves get just three points all season, their performances no be as bad as table dey show. Dem fit really trouble West Ham for this match. But with the way Wolves dey concede goals freely, e hard to see dem hold on for full three points. Draw dey smell strong for this one.
