Key events
Right, we are almost go at the London Stadium, which will house Metallica this summer. Will it house Premier League football beyond this summer? As darkness descends, the bubbles are released.
Nuno’s been speaking to Sky, and he’s got stuck on a certain word.
“Important. Important. Definitely important … All players are goingt to be important. Those that are on the bench had a big game in the FA Cup but we count on them as well.
“[Summerville] Very important. He is a very good player and we hope he returns at his best.”
Alex gets in touch: “This is dictionary definition low stakes viewing. I neither support nor have animosity toward either team. It’s approaching midday on a Friday in California. I have taken care of my big tasks for the week. The rest is just gravy.’”
Justin Kavanagh is in, too: “I like Peter Oh’s Most Interesting and Entertaining relegation candidates calculus. And he could be on to something in terms of how the Premier League’s marketing types might engineer the next era of football. I could see a mini-league within the league, whereby the newly promoted clubs and those finishing 15th, 16th, and 17th from the previous season would have complete in a Battle of the Bottom Feeders: In this shark tank, it would be compulsory to change managers every three months. Apart from anything else, think of the money they’d all save on buying out contracts of obviously silly lengths.”
Wolves haven’t played for fully 25 days, they haven’t won away for 355 days. Here’s Rob Edwards, their manager, speaking to Sky about playing West Ham.
““We have been steadily improving and becoming more and more competitive. We are seeing it on a daily basis at the training ground, which is the most important thing. The levels have gone up.
“It’s obviously a big game for them. As always we prepare for the best version of them, they are going to try to start quickly and they have got some really good players who are really dangerous. We have to respect that but also come here with what we think is a good plan and try to carry that out.”
Here’s the talk from the managers ahead of the Premier League weekend.
Just wondering how much Danny Dyer we will see this Friday night. Sunday versus Leeds bordered on the overkill.
Peter Oh gets in touch: “99.93%? To paraphrase the Jim Carrey character in Dumb and Dumber, ‘so there’s a chance of survival!’. In all seriousness, I think Wolves are by far the most interesting and entertaining nearly-guaranteed-to-go-down Premier League side in memory. If you’re gonna go down, go down playing in style!”
West Ham, after this game, have Crystal Palace away, Everton at home, Brentford away, Arsenal at home, Newcastle away and, this looks a six-pointer, Leeds at home. So yes, this is massive.
Wolves have circled the drain all season, and have just 17 points. Relegation is all but certain, it’s just a question of warding off the inevitable. They are 11 points from safety with seven games left. Opta data suggests Wolves have a 99.93% chance of going down, as close to certainty as is possible. They can get a maximum of 38 points when Tottenham, in 17th, have 30. West Ham have 29; their need is far greater, their hopes far more realistic.
Last time out for both teams:
The big news from the Hammers camp is the return of Crysensio Summerville, who was bang in form before his injury. Mads Hermansen, Pablo, Tomas Soucek, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Summerville come in as Alphonse Areola is dropped to the bench. Finlay Herrick, we hardly knew ya.
Wolves last played 25 days ago, drawing 2-2 at Brentford and playing very well once Angel Gomes came on for Mateus Mane, who looks likely to be used as an impact sub.
The teams
West Ham: Hermansen; Walker-Peters, Disasi, Mavropanos, Diouf; Bowen, Soucek, Fernandes, Summerville; Pablo, Taty. Subs: Areola, Wilson, Adama, Todibo, Magassa, Wan-Bissaka, Scarles, Potts, Kante
Wolves: Sa; Mosquera, S.Bueno, Krejci; Tchatchoua, Andre, J.Gomes, A.Gomes. H.Bueno; Bellegarde, Armstrong. Subs: Bentley, Wolfe, Hwang, Arokodare, Lima, R.Gomes, Toti, Mane, Edozie
Nuno Espírito Santo has rolled back the years in an attempt to save West Ham. He has gone old-school, switching to a gung-ho 4-4-2 system to give his side more threat in the final third. Pablo Felipe and Taty Castellanos, both January arrivals, have altered the face of the attack, but neither forward has been prolific. Castellanos has scored three goals in all competitions since joining from Lazio and Pablo, who is yet to open his account in English football, failed to convert during last week’s penalty shootout defeat by Leeds in the FA Cup. As a pair, though, Castellanos and Pablo have been oddly effective. Are they any good? Unclear. Do they run around a lot and give a previously ponderous West Ham more energy? Undoubtedly. Played together, Pablo and Castellanos do a worthy job for the team. Importantly, they create space for the wingers, Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville, who hopes to return from a calf injury for Friday night’s vital home game against Wolves. Bowen and Summerville are the big threats; they are West Ham’s main source of goals, but both are more dangerous with Pablo and Castellanos in the team. Jacob Steinberg
Preamble
West Ham are massive, everywhere they go, and this is massive for the Hammers. It’s been a long wait to get back to Premier League business, and it’s unfinished business. They have to win against their manager’s old club or else it’s a weekend looking through the fingers at how Tottenham, Leeds and Nottingham Forest get on. Wolves, with little to lose, are a dangerous opponent. Let’s say this again: this is massive.
Kick-off is at 8pm BST. Join me.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2026/apr/10/west-ham-united-v-wolves-premier-league-live
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