Graham Potter's first taste of Premier League football as West Ham United manager will come on Tuesday evening, when Fulham make the trip to the London Stadium for an intriguing battle in England's top flight.
Both teams will enter the clash off the back of FA Cup third-round fixtures, with West Ham exiting the competition courtesy of a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa, but Fulham were 4-1 winners over Watford to secure their position in the fourth round.
Match preview
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West Ham took a ninth-minute lead against Villa in the FA Cup last time out through Lucas Paqueta, but Unai Emery's side scored twice in the space of five second-half minutes to turn the match around and progress to the next stage of the competition.
With no European football this term, the Hammers now only have the league to focus on, and it will be up to new head coach Potter to guide the team away from the bottom three and potentially into the top half of the division.
West Ham have lost their last two league games against Liverpool and Manchester City, conceding nine times in the process, and they currently sit in 14th spot in the Premier League table, picking up only 23 points from their 20 league matches this term.
The Hammers are only seven points above the relegation zone, which is slightly concerning considering their recent form, while the team have severe issues in the final third of the field that will surely need to be addressed before the end of the transfer window.
West Ham are winless in their last three Premier League matches with Fulham, losing twice, while they are without a victory in their last five Premier League London derbies, suffering three defeats in the process.
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Fulham, on the other hand, are unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League derbies, which is their longest run since October 1938, and Marco Silva's side will also bring a healthy unbeaten run into the contest across the board.
Indeed, the Cottagers have not lost in their last nine matches in all competitions, including their last eight in the Premier League, with that run including draws against Arsenal and Liverpool, in addition to a success away to Chelsea.
Fulham's last league defeat was at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on November 23, and they are currently in ninth spot in the table, picking up 30 points from their 20 matches, which has left them only six points off the Champions League spots.
Silva's side were 4-1 winners over Watford in the FA Cup towards the end of last week, meanwhile, and they will now be eyeing another victory ahead of a trip to the King Power Stadium to tackle Leicester City next weekend.
Fulham have only lost two of their nine away Premier League matches this season, and they will be heading to a West Ham side that have just three home league successes to their name during an underwhelming 2024-25 campaign.
Team News
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West Ham will be without the services of Emerson, Jean-Clair Todibo, Crysencio Summerville, Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen and Niclas Fullkrug due to injury problems on Tuesday night, demonstrating the team's issues in the final third of the field.
As a result, there is expected to be a start through the middle for Danny Ings, who has one goal and one assist in 10 Premier League appearances this season, with his only strike of the campaign coming against Fulham in the reverse game, which finished 1-1.
Edson Alvarez is currently being linked with a move to Monaco, but the Mexican should start, while Vladimir Coufal and Carlos Soler are also in line for recalls due to the fitness issues which occurred against Villa.
As for Fulham, Kenny Tete and Reiss Nelson will definitely miss out, while Sander Berge and Rodrigo Muniz are major doubts.
Head coach Silva made changes against Watford in the FA Cup, but the big-hitters will be recalled here, including Issa Diop, Raul Jimenez, Tom Cairney, Calvin Bassey and Bernd Leno, while Harry Wilson could also be in the XI.
Jimenez has been in excellent form for the visitors this season, scoring eight times in 20 appearances, and he is certain to lead the line, with Adama Traore expected to be among the substitutes.
West Ham United possible starting lineup:
Fabianski; Coufal, Mavropanos, Kilman, Wan-Bissaka; Alvarez, Soler; Kudus, Soucek, Paqueta; Ings
Fulham possible starting lineup:
Leno; Diop, Andersen, Bassey; Castagne, Lukic, Cairney, Robinson; Wilson, Jimenez, Iwobi
We say: West Ham United 1-2 Fulham
Fulham have shared the points in nine of their 20 league matches this season and have been the draw specialists in recent weeks; West Ham have big problems when it comes to their attack, though, and we are predicting a narrow success for Fulham on Tuesday night, which would make it an unhappy start to life at the London Stadium for new Hammers boss Potter.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
