Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of today's Premier League encounter at Upton Park as West Ham United entertain struggling Hull City. The Hammers can boost their hopes of European qualification with a victory over the course of the next 90 minutes, while Hull can climb out of the relegation zone if they avoid defeat. Team news should be through shortly.

WEST HAM: Adrian; Jenkinson, Collins, Tomkins, Cresswell; Song, Noble, Nolan, Downing; Carroll, Valencia

WEST HAM SUBS: Jaaskelainen, O'Brien, Reid, Poyet, Amalfitano, Jarvis, Cole

After seeing his side overcome Everton on penalties in the FA Cup in midweek, West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has made just one change to his starting lineup for today's game. Kevin Nolan returns in midfield for the Hammers, while Matt Jarvis drops down to the bench.

HULL: McGregor; Chester, Bruce, Davies, Dawson; Meyler, Huddlestone, Livermore, Elmohamady, Quinn; Aluko

HULL SUBS: Harper, Figueroa, Maguire, McShane, Ramirez, Ince, Sagbo

Following a 1-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion in the league last weekend, Hull boss Steve Bruce has opted for three changes to his starting XI this afternoon. Michael Dawson, Tom Huddlestone and Sone Aluko are all recalled for the visitors, while Maynor Figueroa, Abel Hernandez and Nikica Jelavic all drop out.

So, what's at stake today? West Ham have come off the rails a bit in recent weeks, failing to win in their last four league matches. However, they remain in eighth place in the table and can climb as high as seventh position with a victory this afternoon. As for Hull, the Tigers must avoid defeat if they want to get out of the relegation zone. Steve Bruce's side have lost four and won two since December.

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce: "The fact we haven't won in the league for a few games is a cause for concern. We've been free-scoring this year but we've only got four clean sheets and because of that it has cost us 1-0 wins that you look for when the games are tight. They will be difficult to break down and difficult to beat when they come here."

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Hull boss Steve Bruce: "Sam has proven himself - if he ever had anything to prove - by doing it for so long and by the way he has done it. He had Bolton sixth for three years - that's a remarkable achievement. Within four years he has taken West Ham on a remarkable journey.

"It's certainly the best West Ham team I can remember and fair play to him for assembling it because they look a very good side. The fans gave him a really tough time (last season) and you have to be strong enough to see it through, take the flak and not let it affect you."

With Hull struggling for form this season, Steve Bruce's job at the KC Stadium has been in a little bit of doubt. The former defender knows full well that there is no room for patience in football anymore, and he can only hope that the chairman remains patient and refuses to pull the trigger. While his players have a tough task on their hands today, a victory would take a lot off pressure off Bruce.

Sam Allardyce is a manager who knows all about pressure. The 60-year-old was understood to be on the verge of the sack at West Ham last season before keeping them safe and turning their fortunes around dramatically during the current campaign. It's difficult to overstate just how good a job he has done since the summer, injecting the Hammers with some good signings and a better brand of football than what fans have seen over the past couple of years.

Got a spare couple of minutes before kickoff? You can check out our video preview of today's match below:

It's safe to say that Andy Carroll is going to be a key player for the hosts today. The striker has netted four goals in 12 games this season, including a beauty at Swansea City last weekend. However, the England international could have his work cut out with the likes of Curtis Davies, Alex Bruce and Michael Dawson lining up in defence for Hull. The visitors have a fair amount of brawn at the back, and they are sure to make life difficult for Carroll and striker partner Enner Valencia.

The reverse fixture between these sides back in September was a bit of a goal-fest as West Ham salvaged a 2-2 draw at the KC Stadium thanks to a goal from Enner Valencia 23 minutes from time. More of the same would be nice today!

HEAD TO HEAD: It's West Ham who have the better record when it comes to past meetings between these teams, winning 16 games compared to 10 victories for Hull. There have also been a total of 15 draws since they first played each other nearly 100 years ago.

West Ham have also been the superior side in recent times, winning four of the last six games against Hull. The Tigers have won just once in that time, while the other fixture was a draw. Obviously.

14 - West Ham have scored 14 headed goals in the Premier League this season, more than any other team. Headstrong. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 18, 2015

A reminder that West Ham can leapfrog Liverpool into seventh place if they win this afternoon. The Hammers are currently on a four-game winless run, but they will fancy their chances against a struggling Hull side who can climb out of the relegation zone if they come away from Upton Park having avoided defeat. The last time they won at the Boleyn Ground was back in 1990.

A lot has been made before the match of the friendship between Sam Allardyce and Steve Bruce, but both men will know full well that all that goes out of the window once they emerge from the tunnel. Bruce has also been talking up the fact that the West Ham owners have remained patient with Allardyce, allowing him to rejuvenate the club following a disappointing 2013-14 campaign. The Hull boss can only hope that the powers that be at the KC Stadium will afford him the same kind of time.

Right, the teams are starting to leave their respective dressing rooms and take their places in the tunnel as we head towards kickoff. Kevin Nolan will lead West Ham out this afternoon, while Curtis Davies captains visitors Hull.

KICKOFF! The teams are out, the pre-match handshakes have been done and it will be Hull to get us underway at Upton Park. Here we go!

What a start it's been for Hull, who are really taking the game to West Ham thanks to the dynamic Aluko. The striker wants a penalty inside the opening stages as his shot hits the arm of Noble, but it would have been harsh on West Ham. Aluko then makes a darting run into the box before seeing his deflected effort dealt with by Adrian.

CHANCE! Close for Hull as Aluko causes the West Ham defence problems down the right before crossing for Elmohamady. The Egyptian has bags of space inside the penalty box, but he scuffs his shot the wrong side of the post. The hosts haven't woken up yet.

CHANCE! That's more like it from West Ham. A free kick is teed up for Cresswell, who drills a low drive inches wide of the post from about 25 yards. That seems to have livened up Sam Allardyce's side.

Steve Bruce will be very pleased from what he's seen from his players so far. Hull are enjoying more possession than their opponents and they're also looking far more dangerous going forward. Aluko is sure to be a key man for the visitors today. He's already giving Tomkins a torrid time down that right side.

The likes of Carroll, Valencia and Downing aren't having much of an impact at the moment. West Ham are finding it had to get on the ball and keep it as the Hull midfielders work hard in central areas. There's also a fairly subdued atmosphere inside the ground which isn't going to help the home side.

CHANCE! Almost a moment to forget for Hull goalkeeper McGregor, who gets nowhere near a corner. Tomkins gets above his marker to nod the ball towards goal, but his effort floats over the crossbar.

Not much going on at the minute as both sides sit back and cautiously go about their business. Hull's explosive start seems to have waned, while West Ham aren't showing too much intent when going forward.

Steve Bruce is looking fairly relaxed down on the touchline. There's no doubt that Hull have been the better team so far, but their creativity has just dried up a bit. They're lacking ideas when they get forward, despite the best efforts of Aluko. Meanwhile, West Ham are not doing much at all with the ball.

YELLOW CARD! The first booking of the match goes to West Ham midfielder Noble, who is cautioned for clattering into the back of Huddlestone.

CHANCE! Aluko threatens again for Hull as he eases past Tomkins inside the box before being thwarted by a great tackle from Collins. The Hull striker is running rings around Tomkins. Sam Allardyce must be thinking how he can stop Aluko because he's been a real cause for concern.

CHANCE! Oh, what an opportunity for the visitors! Aluko bobs and weaves his way into the West Ham box with a sensational burst of pace before laying the ball off to Livermore. The midfielder has the time and space to go for goal himself, but he instead elects to pass it back to Aluko before the Hammers clear.

Play is stopped temporarily as Collins receives treatment for a blow to the head, though he looks to be okay. The defender has been busy during the last few minutes as Hull build up a bit of a head of steam. However, they just can't turn this momentum into an opening goal.

YELLOW CARD! A second caution of the afternoon is picked up by Elmohamady after the Hull wing-back trips Downing.

You have to wonder whether Hull will be made to pay for missing these chances. The Premier League is an unforgiving place and it would not be any surprise at all if it's West Ham who open the scoring today. That said, it's hard to see how the Hammers are going to do this because they have been limp in attack so far today. Sam Allardyce is likely to give his side a bit of a rollicking during the interval.

It's still Hull who are asking all of the questions as we edge towards the half-time whistle. The Tigers have been impressive and continue to pose a threat in the final third. While Aluko has been their focal point, Meyler and Livermore have also offered good support in advanced areas.

CHANCE! West Ham come within inches of taking the lead against the run of play as Valencia's header is just about tipped away by McGregor in a crowded penalty box. The ball is then recycled by West Ham before Collins's header is saved by the goalkeeper.

Huddleston is given a bit of space on the edge of the box and lines up and effort, but it is deflected wide before Hull fail to make anything of the resulting corner.

There will be TWO MINUTES of added time at the end of the half...

HULL CITY SUB: The visitors are forced into a change right at the end of the half as James Chester is helped off after clashing with Collins. Maynor Figueroa replaces the defender.

The half-time whistle goes and it's goalless between West Ham and Hull. The visitors were the far better side during that opening 45 minutes, while West Ham struggled to get going.

Hull created a handful of good chances in the first half, but a lack of finishing has seen them fail to find the target. Sone Aluko has been superb for the Tigers, giving the likes of Tomkins and Collins a rough old time in defence.

As for West Ham, manager Sam Allardyce will be furious by what he's seen from his players this afternoon. The Hammers have been really poor. They've failed to trouble Hull on a consistent basis and have shown little in the way of creativity up front.

It would be difficult for West Ham to be any worse when they come back out after the restart. You would expect the hosts to put in a much more lively performance during the second half, attempting to take the game to Hull. They've certainly failed to do that so far. That said, they're still on level terms with the Tigers and are still in with a shout of winning this match.

Could Allardyce be tempted to shake things up early in the second half? He's not got a great deal to work with on the bench, though Carlton Cole and Morgan Amalfitano could inject a bit of dynamism into the side. Steve Bruce has Tom Ince, Yannick Sagbo and Gaston Ramirez to call upon if he needs a goal, but you would think that he would be happy with a draw today.

SECOND HALF UNDERWAY! The teams are back out for the second half and it will be West Ham to kick us off. Hull have made a change during the break, with Harry Maguire replacing Alex Bruce, who suffered a knock on his head towards the end of the second half.

CHANCE! West Ham nearly take the lead as Downing bursts down the right before squaring for Nolan. The ball is a difficult one to hit as it bounces up in the front of the skipper, and he can only hit a half-volley over the crossbar from about 12 yards. You can already tell that the Hammers are playing with more attacking intent.

They were well below par during the first half, but West Ham lead as Andy Carroll shows good instincts in the box to tap home after Valencia's long-range effort was only parried by McGregor. It was a relatively simple chance for Carroll, though he needed to be in the right place at the right time.

WEST HAM SUB: The hosts make their first change of the match as Collins is replaced by Winston Reid. Collins pulled up with a leg injury at the start of the second half and he's had to go off.

This is a totally different type of performance from West Ham now; the type that we've grown accustomed to during the first half of the season. The Hammers are dictating the pace of the game and are really going at Hull. Valencia races down the left flank before seeing his cross cut out by Dawson. There are one or two groans from the home fans because Carroll was in a good position in the middle.

Hull are showing a bit more fight now as West Ham sit deeper, but they're finding it difficult to break their opponents down. There's certainly more of a buzz about this match following what was a fairly one-sided opening half.

8 - Andy Carroll has now scored as many PL home goals for West Ham as he did for Newcastle. Flourishing. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 18, 2015

West Ham are having to show their defensive qualities at the moment, with Hull pushing hard for an equaliser. The Tigers are spending an increased amount of time in the opposition half. However, the Hammers are doing an admirable job of keeping the Tigers at bay.

WEST HAM SUB: Another switch for the hosts now, with Morgan Amalfitano replacing Noble. Just over 25 minutes left to play at Upton Park.

CHANCE! Michael Dawson, you lucky boy. The Hull defender gifts Valencia the ball on the edge of his own box before the West Ham forward shoots narrowly off target from a difficult angle. That could have been curtains for the Tigers, who are still hanging on in there.

That could well be curtains for Hull now as the substitute Morgan Amalfitano provides a delicate finish to put West Ham 2-0 up. Valencia does well on the edge of the box, controlling the ball well before threading it through to Amalfitano, who dinks it past the onrushing McGregor and into the net.

HULL CITY SUB: One last change for Hull as Yannick Sagbo is introduced in place of Davies. The visitors need a goal quickly if they want to get anything out of this game.

Game over. It's a simple goal from a West Ham perspective as Song plays the ball through the heart of the Hull defence to Downing, who races clear of his marker into acres of space before slotting the ball past McGregor.

YELLOW CARD! Hull midfielder Quinn gets his name into the book after chopping down Amalfitano. Meanwhile, West Ham make a final substitution as Tomkins is brought off for Joey O'Brien.

What an archetypal game of two halves this has been for the Hammers. They were woeful during the opening 45 minutes, but they've been so much better since the restart. This victory is likely to boost their confidence no end following four games without a win. However, you have to wonder what this result will do to Steve Bruce's chances of staying in his job as Hull boss.

12 - Stewart Downing has been involved in 12 Premier League goals this season (five goals, seven assists); as many as Eden Hazard. Wizard. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 18, 2015

This is a case of damage limitation for Hull now. They enjoyed a good spell of possession after going 0-1 down, but a failure to make anything of it allowed West Ham to bide their time before turning the screw. The Hammers create another opening as Jenkinson receives the ball out on the right flank, only to hit his cross out for a goal kick.

Credit to Hull, they're still having a go. Aluko sees his shot blocked on the edge of the box before Adrian saves Livermore's tame drive from 25 yards.

OFF THE CROSSBAR! West Ham almost find the net again as the ball is flicked through to Nolan by Downing, but the captain's shot from a tight angle comes back off the woodwork. It was a really difficult chance and he did well to even get it on target.

YELLOW CARD! Hull midfielder Meyler gets his name in the book after bringing down Valencia. The two then proceed to share a few choice words following the incident.

There will be THREE MINUTES of added time at the end of the match...

West Ham bring an end to their four-game winless run with a 3-0 victory over Hull City. The Hammers were poor during the first half, but three goals after the break have seen them move up to seventh place in the Premier League table. Meanwhile, Hull remain in the relegation zone.

That's all from our live text coverage of this afternoon's match, but don't forget that you can keep up to date with all of the reaction from both camps right here on Sports Mole. Thanks for your company, we hope to see you again soon. Goodbye!