West Ham v Wolves predictions: Depleted Wolves could be swept aside

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for West Ham v Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 5.30pm Saturday

Best bet

West Ham
1pt Evs Betfred

Team news

West Ham
Ben Johnson is a doubt and Nayef Aguerd remains unavailable.

Wolves
Nathan Collins is suspended and Hwang Hee-Chan (unspecified injury) has joined Chiquinho, Sasa Kalajdzic (both knee) and Raul Jimenez (groin) on the sidelines. Diego Costa is expected to feature among the substitutes.

Match preview

West Ham have been in the Premier League's bottom three for four weeks but they look too strong to be sucked into a relegation battle and can register their first home league win of the season when fellow strugglers Wolves pitch up at the London Stadium on Saturday.

It has been a busy start to the campaign for West Ham, who squeezed in 11 fixtures in the first six weeks of the season. However, the international break has given them an opportunity to take stock, and a re-energised and refocused Hammers squad will expect to improve before the season pauses for the World Cup.

Their immediate fixture list looks kinder with home matches against Wolves and Fulham preceding a trip to Southampton. And those games will take priority over their Europa Conference League commitments, which resumes on Thursday with a trip to Anderlecht.

West Ham had a strong home record last season, amassing 32 points from 19 games, and there is no reason why they cannot return to those standards.

They have had some tough home games this term, losing to Manchester City (0-2) and Brighton (0-2) as well as drawing with Tottenham (1-1), but Wolves' visit will be a match they expect to win.

Only the bottom three scored fewer goals than Wanderers (38) last season and their struggles in front of goal have continued into the new campaign. Bruno Lage's men start the weekend as the division's joint-lowest scorers, alongside West Ham, with three league goals, but they seem less likely to improve than their hosts.

Injuries to centre-forwards Sasa Kalajdzic and Raul Jimenez left Wolves without a recognised number nine for their 3-0 home loss to Manchester City, so Lage will be desperately hoping that free signing Diego Costa can make a difference sooner rather than later.

Former Chelsea ace Costa has spent the last two weeks building up his fitness and could be unleashed this weekend, although the 33-year-old will need much more time to be fully up to speed and is unlikely to reach the levels he did earlier in his career.

West Ham's first-choice centre-forward Michail Antonio is only a year younger than Costa but has scored in two of his last three appearances and remains hugely influential for the hosts. With Antonio leading the line and talented attackers Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta operating in behind, there is obvious potential for the Hammers to start turning chances into goals.

And the Londoners should fancy their chances of doing some damage against a Wolves defence weakened by the absence of suspended centre-back Nathan Collins.

Inexperienced defenders Yerson Mosquera and Toti Gomes are vying to replace Collins but both have plenty to learn and whoever gets the nod could be on the losing side.

Key stat

West Ham have won four of their last six home matches against Wolves.

Inside info

West Ham

Penalty taker Jarrod Bowen
Assist ace Michail Antonio
Set-piece aerial threat Tomas Soucek
Card magnet Declan Rice

Wolves

Penalty taker Ruben Neves
Assist ace Pedro Neto
Set-piece aerial threat Max Kilman
Card magnet Ruben Neves

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