West Ham entered this season with aspirations of securing European competition but has fallen significantly short of expectations. Currently 14th in the Premier League with 23 points from 20 games, the team has struggled to find consistent form despite having a strong squad.
A brief unbeaten run of four games, which included two wins and two draws, was followed by heavy defeats to Liverpool (0-5) and Manchester City (1-4). These losses led to the dismissal of Julen Lopetegui as manager, with Graham Potter stepping in as his replacement. Last Friday, the Hammers took on Aston Villa in the FA Cup.
Fulham, on the other hand, has been more consistent and currently occupies 9th place in the Premier League, sitting just four points shy of the top six. The team has shown resilience by remaining unbeaten in their last eight league games, recording two wins and six draws.
However, they have missed opportunities to secure additional points. After a Boxing Day victory over Chelsea (2-1), Fulham followed up with consecutive 2-2 draws at home against Bournemouth and struggling Ipswich. On Thursday, they hosted Watford in the FA Cup round of 32.
West Ham faces a series of absences heading into this fixture. Striker Michail Antonio is still recovering from a car accident, while key contributor Jarrod Bowen (5 goals, 4 assists) remains sidelined due to injury. First-choice goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is also unavailable.
Forward Niclas Fullkrug, who has battled injuries earlier in the season, aims to step up after scoring in their most recent league match. He is expected to be supported by midfielders Lucas Paquetá (3 goals) and Mohammed Kudus (3 goals) in attack.
Fulham is dealing with injury concerns as well. Starting full-back Kenny Tete and substitutes Harrison Reed and Cédric Nelson are ruled out, while influential midfielder Sander Berge is a doubt.
Leading their attacking efforts will likely be Raúl Jiménez, who scored twice against Ipswich and has tallied 8 goals and 2 assists this season. Supporting him are Alex Iwobi (5 goals, 3 assists), Andreas Pereira (2 goals), Emile Smith Rowe (3 goals, 2 assists), and Bertrand Traoré (1 goal, 3 assists).
Prediction
West Ham has struggled on home soil, securing just four wins in their last 18 Premier League matches while suffering multiple losses in their previous ten games.
In contrast, Fulham has demonstrated strong form on the road, winning eight of their last 14 away games. Considering the current trajectory of both teams, Fulham appears to have the upper hand in this contest.
Prediction: West Ham 1-2 Fulham
