Wolves host West Ham United on Saturday afternoon while they seek a monumental first victory of the season.
The Old Gold currently sit at the bottom of the Premier League table with just three points from 19 matches. Consequently, Rob Edwards’ side has officially recorded the longest winless start in the history of the competition. However, they arrive with a fresh glimmer of hope following a resilient 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Tuesday. Ladislav Krejci’s late header finally ended an 11-match losing streak for the struggling hosts.
Meanwhile, West Ham United visit Molineux during a period of intense pressure for manager Nuno Espírito Santo. The Hammers are currently winless in eight league games and sit 18th in the standings, four points away from safety. Therefore, Nuno views this return to his former club as a pivotal opportunity to arrest a dangerous slide. West Ham most recently played out a chaotic 2-2 draw with Brighton, where three penalties defined a dramatic evening. While Wolves hope to spark a miracle survival charge, West Ham desperately need to move out of the bottom three before the gap to safety grows larger.
Wolves vs West Ham United – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: Saturday, 3 January 2026
- Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
- Venue: Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton
- Referee: Peter Bankes
- VAR: Timothy Wood
- Last Meeting: Wolves 3–2 West Ham, 26 August 2025, Premier League
Team News
Wolves
Rob Edwards welcomes back influential midfielder André, who is available again following a suspension. Furthermore, centre-back Santiago Bueno expects to recover from a minor knock in time to start. However, Toti Gomes and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde remain sidelined with hamstring and muscle injuries, respectively. Marshall Munetsi has returned to light training but will not feature in the matchday squad. Additionally, Emmanuel Agbadou is still representing Ivory Coast at AFCON, but Tawanda Chirewa has returned to Molineux after Zimbabwe’s exit.
West Ham United
The Hammers possess a nearly clean bill of health for this trip. However, Nuno Espírito Santo must assess Jean-Clair Todibo after the defender recently struggled with a groin issue. If he fails a fitness test, Max Kilman will likely start against his former employers. Moreover, Igor Julio returns to the squad after he sat out the Brighton draw because he was ineligible to face his parent club. Nuno remains without El Hadji Malick Diouf and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who both remain away on AFCON duty.
Form
Wolves
Wolves have failed to win any of their first 19 matches this season. Only Bolton Wanderers in 1902-03 have ever endured a longer winless start in top-flight history. Additionally, the Old Gold have struggled significantly in the second half of games. They have scored only four goals after the interval all season. Conversely, their xG data suggests they have performed better than their results show.
West Ham United
West Ham have not secured a Premier League victory since early November. They have conceded 11 goals from corners this season, which is a league high. Moreover, the Hammers have kept only one clean sheet during the entire campaign. However, Nuno Espírito Santo holds a formidable personal record against Wolves. He remains unbeaten in four games against his former side.
Predicted Lineups
Wolves predicted XI: Sá; Mosquera, Doherty, Krejčí; Tchatchoua, Arias, J. Gomes, Mané, H. Bueno; Arokodare, Strand Larsen
West Ham United predicted XI: Areola; Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Kilman, Scarles; Magassa, Potts; Bowen, Fernandes, Paquetá; Wilson
How to watch Wolves vs West Ham?
This match will not be broadcast live in the UK due to the 15:00 Saturday blackout rule. International viewers can watch via local broadcast partners, and highlights appear on Match of the Day at 22:30 GMT.
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