Flying Hammers travel to relegation threatened Fulham

West Ham will look to keep their excellent form going as they travel across London to a struggling Fulham.

The Hammers confidence will be boosted by Wednesday night’s convincing victory at Aston villa which kept them in fifth place. New boy Jesse Lingard could not have dreamt of a better debut.

The 28-year-old who joined on loan from Manchester United bagged a brace, becoming the first West Ham player to do so on his debut since Trevor Sinclair in January 1998 against Everton.

Manager David Moyes was full of praise for his new man ahead of the clash at Craven Cottage.

“He’s a more mature boy. He’s someone that is getting to the prime of his career. He wants to play well and be on the pitch. We don’t want to get carried away with one game but we’re really pleased with him.”

Even the most optimistic West Ham supporters wouldn’t have dreamt of being in this position. Whilst we’re just over the half-way point of the season, they have surpassed expectations as many tipped the Hammers to be relegated at the start of the campaign. A win in West London will see the Hammers leapfrog Liverpool into fourth place. 

Fulham, on the contrast, are in a deep relegation battle. The Cottagers are winless in their last 12 league outings leaving them eight points from safety. They were dealt with a blow on deadline day as they lost out Joshua King to Everton but did secure former Sunderland striker Joshua Maja. 

Scott Parker realises time is not on their side but insists his side is not done and dusted.

“That time may run out for us this year, that is a fact. As a team and a group of players we are heading in the right direction and we need to maintain that.

“There are 17 games left and there is no chance we are done and dusted.”

When the two sides last met in November, Ademola Lookman’s 98th-minute Panenka-style penalty miss denied Fulham an equaliser as West Ham collected all three points thanks to Tomas Soucek’s 91st-minute strike. 

Team News

Maja trained with the team this week and could make his debut but Scott Parker’s side have no fresh injury concerns from the midweek game against Leicester. 

David Moyes also has no new injury concerns. He did however confirm that long-term absentee Arthur Masuaku is “hopefully only a month or so” away from returning from a knee injury.

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