West Ham will be hoping to enjoy a less humiliating visit to Craven Cottage as they take on Fulham in the Premier League this weekend.
The Hammers were thrashed 5-0 in the corresponding fixture last season, and the Cottagers would complete the double over David Moyes’ side with a 2-0 win at the London Stadium in April.
Plenty has changed since those two results, with Julen Lopetegui now at the helm in east London with a much-changed West Ham squad at his disposal. However, the Irons have started the new season with just one win from three.
Fulham are a point better off than Saturday’s opponents after they earned a 1-1 draw at Portman Road before the international break. Marco Silva’s side, who lost Joao Palhinha to Bayern Munich over the summer, started the campaign with a late 1-0 defeat at Manchester United before winning their home opener against Leicester 2-1.
Here is 90min’s guide to Fulham vs West Ham.
Fulham vs West Ham H2H Record (Last Five Games)
Current Form (all competitions)
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Fulham team news
Fulham escaped the international break injury-free with Silva set to have a full complement of players available for Saturday’s London derby.
Silva could name an unchanged team from the 1-1 draw at Portman Road, although the likes of Sander Berge and Joachim Andersen – two summer arrivals – will be pushing for starts.
Reiss Nelson is also available after joining the club late in the transfer window.
Fulham predicted lineup vs West Ham
Fulham predicted lineup vs West Ham (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Lukic; Adama, Smith Rowe, Iwobi; Muniz.
West Ham team news
Aaron Cresswell is set to be a peripheral member of Julen Lopetegui’s squad, and the defender is currently nursing a hamstring injury which will likely keep him out of action this weekend.
Summer signings Max Kilman, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Guido Rodriguez were all in the starting XI for their 3-1 defeat to Man City, but the likes of Niclas Fullkrug, Cryscencio Summerville, Jean-Clair Todibo, and Luis Guilherme are all being integrated at a slower pace.
Fullkrug is carrying a calf injury which has left him doubtful for this fixture, so Michail Antonio should continue to lead the Hammers’ line.
West Ham predicted lineup vs Fulham
West Ham predicted lineup vs Fulham (4-2-3-1): Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson; Rodriguez, Alvarez; Bowen, Paqueta, Kudus; Antonio.
Fulham vs West Ham score prediction
West Ham’s early season London tour continues this weekend, and they enjoyed their previous venture away from the London Stadium. While Lopetegui wants to evolve his team into one that can manage contests with the ball and dominate possession, this West Ham side are not there yet.
For now, they’re better suited to playing ‘Moyes-ball’ and away games will suit them at the start of the new manager’s reign.
Fulham are a coherent, well-balanced outfit even in Palhinha’s absence, and their left-hand side has been superb to start the new season. However, the visitors have the personnel to slow down their combinations down that flank.
This could be a back-and-forth affair with both sides potentially scoring, but we’ll give the edge to the Hammers on the road.
