West Ham United will look to carry their impressive recent form into the Carabao Cup when they welcome Fulham to London Stadium in a third-round London derby. The Hammers have made a strong start to the Championship season and will be hoping to maintain their momentum as they face Premier League opposition in their latest cup test.
Fulham, meanwhile, will be looking to put their recent struggles behind them and secure a place in the next round. With both sides having plenty to prove, Tuesday night’s meeting promises to be a competitive contest between two London rivals with their eyes on progressing further in the competition.
The hosts will come into the match filled with confidence following their impressive form in recent weeks. Nuno Espírito Santo’s side have caught the eye with their attacking output, while a run of positive results has given them significant momentum.
West Ham came away as 4-2 winners against Wolves, having previously beaten Derby County 3-0 and Bolton Wanderers 3-2. Their emphatic 6-0 win over Wrexham was another result that highlighted the team’s attacking strength.
Fulham, meanwhile, will face West Ham looking to put their recent dropped points behind them. The struggling Premier League side will be hoping to regain their morale by progressing further in the competition.
They secured their first league point of the season in their most recent match against Liverpool, having previously suffered losses against Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Chelsea. The Cottagers’ recent defensive performances have also raised concerns, and they will need to be more resilient against West Ham’s in-form attack.
However, Fulham’s status as a Premier League side could give them a significant advantage in terms of squad quality and top-level match experience. As a result, the visitors will be aiming to overcome West Ham’s current form, secure a victory at London Stadium and book their place in the next round of the Carabao Cup.
Following Fulham’s defeat to Crystal Palace, Álvaro Arbeloa acknowledged that the trip to West Ham would be another difficult challenge, saying: “Also, in the Carabao Cup, we have to go to face West Ham United, so not easy, but we knew that this month was to be a very tough month, but I told my players this month will not define our entire season.”
“They have a Premier League level squad, so they aren’t Championship opposition in my opinion. If we want to beat them, we will have to perform well.”
“We know in this case that if we don’t win the game, we are out of the competition. We know it is a final for us. It is very important to beat them and go into the next round.”
Asked about coming up against another of his former sides, West Ham United, he said: “What a week this is for me!”
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are “performing so well” and Arbeloa expects them to pose a stern test on their own turf.
“They have a Premier League level squad, so they aren’t Championship opposition in my opinion. If we want to beat them, we will have to perform well.”
Speaking about his involvement in the signing of David Affengruber, who made his full debut at Anfield, he said: “I already knew him very well. I talked about him with the club at the beginning of the summer, but they were looking at other players. They wanted someone who was of a similar profile to other Premier League centre-backs at first.”
“He has that personality, he is so intelligent with the ball, he is strong, he has the pace and he understands the game very well. I believe he can play even better than he did.”
Ryan Sessegnon is sidelined with a minor groin issue, which forced him to miss the previous matchday squad. The club are awaiting the results of his scan, but Arbeloa has confirmed that he will not feature in the cup tie. His condition will be reassessed ahead of Sunday’s clash with Manchester United.
As players to watch, Jarrod Bowen could be the one for the hosts. The West Ham forward has been in impressive form this season, and his abilities could prove crucial against a Fulham defence that will be looking to contain West Ham’s attacking threat.
Gonzalo García is another player who could have a major influence on the contest. The young forward has joined Fulham as part of Álvaro Arbeloa’s new-look side and will be looking to make his mark in the Carabao Cup. He could provide a significant challenge for the West Ham defence.
