West Ham cross swords with Wolves at Molineux on Saturday in what could be a significant battle at the bottom end of the Premier League table.
The Hammers are winless in their last six league games, losing five and drawing one. The recent 2-0 win over Brentford in the FA Cup third round should give David Moyes’ side some confidence heading into the weekend’s league fixture.
Wolves, on the other hand, have won just one of their last five league games and were ousted from the EFL Cup on penalty shootout by Nottingham Forest. They are 19th in the table and are desperately seeking to return back to winning ways.
On that note, here are the key battles that could define the outcome of this fixture.
#Raul Jimenez vs West Ham centre-backs
Raul Jimenez scored a much-needed goal against Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup that should boost his confidence levels, and he will be eyeing more success against West Ham.
The Mexican’s form and fitness levels haven’t been great since the skull injury he suffered against Arsenal a couple of years ago. He is itching to get back to his best and the goal against Forest should have done him a world of good.
With Diego Costa’s availability in question after missing the last two games, Julen Lopetegui could stick with Jimenez up top at the weekend. So, West Ham centre-backs—likely to be Craig Dawson and Nayef Aguerd—have to be strong and focused throughout the 90 minutes to keep Jimenez quiet.
#Declan Rice vs Matheus Nunes
Declan Rice’s form has dipped a bit this season, which is a big reason behind West Ham’s struggles. Yet, he remains an important figure for David Moyes’ side.
Rice should sit as a shield in front of the back and use his passing and game-reading abilities to help West Ham tick over. He is likely to come up against Wolves’ Matheus Nunes in the centre of the pitch a number of times.
Nunes is a talented player who has shown signs of thriving as a box-to-box midfielder under Lopetegui. With Ruben Neves anchoring the midfield, he will look to drive forward with the ball and make those incisive passes in the final third. This is where Rice must show his presence and try to stop Nunes from making influencing the play.
Whoever comes out on top in this midfield battle should have a big say in deciding the game in their team’s favour.
#Said Benrahma vs Nelson Semedo
With two goals in the last three games across all competitions, Said Benrahma comes into the game in a rich vein of form, thriving in the space left in behind Michail Antonio. The Algerian has actually stepped up very well in recent weeks when some of his teammates have fallen short of expectations.
Considering Benrahma’s recent form, Wolves right-back Nelson Semedo will have to bring his A-game. Semedo is expected to start ahead of Jonny Otto, and it will be important for him to come out on top of this battle with the West Ham winger.
