WATCH TO FIND OUT EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW AHEAD OF WOLVES V WEST HAM
TEAM NEWS
Rob Edwards can call on Andre again after his suspension, and he expects Santiago Bueno to be fit after the knock that ruled him out of Tuesday’s match. Marshall Munetsi has been back on the pitch this week, but he has not yet returned to full team training. Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Toti are still sidelined. Emmanuel Agbadou remains away at AFCON with Ivory Coast, while Zimbabwe’s early exit means Tawanda Chirewa is now set to return to Molineux.
For West Ham, Jean-Clair Todibo will be checked closer to kick-off as he deals with a groin problem. The Hammers do have Igor Julio available again after he missed the Brighton game because of loan rules. They are still without El Hadji Malick Diouf and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, both away on international duty at AFCON.
ROB EDWARDS
There are no fresh injuries before Saturday’s match and Edwards said he hopes Santiago Bueno can return to the squad.
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Marshall Munetsi are still out but making progress. The latter was on the grass earlier in the week but is yet to return to team training.
On potential business during this month’s transfer window: “There’s conversations I’m involved in and there will be conversations I’m not involved in, but when I need to know something I can get involved. There will be a lot of work going on behind the scenes on both incomings and outgoings.”
He is not concerned about speculation regarding players like Jorgen Strand Larsen, who has shown a “brilliant attitude” in training and games.
When asked how the club will fund any incomings this month: “We might have to [generate funds]. It depends on what we want to try to bring in. January can be quite difficult anyway and we want to bring in the right people, the ones who want to be here and who we feel can affect it. But if we are going to spend it, we might have to generate some of that.”
On the profile of player he wants to bring to Molineux: “It doesn’t have to be someone who has played 600 games – it could be someone who is 22 and has played 100 games – but they have really good experience at the level. It is more the person and, of course, they have to be a good player.”
He spoke highly of Mateus Mane, saying that his performances have been strong and he has deserved his minutes. He added that the youngster has an “infectious energy” around the squad and pointed out athleticism as one of his most impressive traits.
MATCH STATS & FACTS
Having won four consecutive Premier League games against West Ham in 2018-19 and 2019-20, Wolves have now won just three of their last 10 against the Hammers (L7). They did win this exact fixture 1-0 in April, however.
West Ham have lost five of their last seven Premier League away games against Wolves, with the exceptions being victories in April 2021 (3-2) and April 2024 (2-1).
Wolves have drawn their opening league game in three of the last five calendar years (W1 L1). They lost 3-0 at home to Nottingham Forest in their first game of 2025, with current West Ham boss Nuno Espírito Santo in charge of Forest for that.
West Ham have lost their opening league game in just one of the last eight calendar years (W4 D3), though it was a 4-1 loss at Man City in 2025. They last lost their first league game in consecutive calendar years between 2006 and 2008 (a run of three).
Wolves remain winless in their 19 Premier League games this season (D3 L16). In English top-flight history, only Bolton Wanderers have had a longer run without a win from the start of a campaign (22 in 1902-03).
Following back-to-back victories at the start of November, West Ham are winless in their last eight Premier League games (D4 L4). They last had a longer run between March and May 2011 (9).
Wolves (0) and West Ham (1) have kept the fewest clean sheets of any Premier League sides this season. In Wolves’ case, only four teams have gone longer without a clean sheet from the start of a Premier League campaign – Blackburn in 2011-12 (27), Norwich in 2011-12 (21), Bolton in 2009-10 (20) and Watford in 2021-22 (20).
Wolves have scored just four goals in the second half of Premier League games this season, though two of these have come in their last four games at Arsenal and Liverpool. It’s the fewest second half goals both in total and as an overall percentage (36%) in the competition this term.
West Ham boss Nuno Espírito Santo is unbeaten in all four of his Premier League games against former side Wolves (W2 D2), winning both of his visits to Molineux with Spurs (August 2021) and Nottingham Forest (January 2025).
West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen has scored more Premier League goals against Wolves than he has against any other opponent (6), though just one of these strikes has come at Molineux (April 2021).
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Peter Bankes. Assistants: James Mainwaring, Blake Antrobus. Fourth official: James Linington. VAR: Timothy Wood. Assistant VAR: Matthew Donohue.
FORM GUIDE (ALL COMPETITIONS)
HEAD TO HEAD (ALL COMPETITIONS)
