West Ham United welcome Fulham to the London Stadium for a derby that feels significant for different reasons at either end of the mid-table picture. West Ham are trying to pull themselves clear of trouble after a difficult run that has dragged them into the relegation zone, while Fulham arrive with a bit more momentum and a chance to keep edging away from the congested pack behind them.
West Ham go into the game under Nuno Espírito Santo still searching for stability. Their last match in any competitionwas the 3–0 Premier League defeat to Manchester City on 20 December, a result that left them 18th on 13 points and extended a run without a win. The bigger concern has been how quickly matches have slipped away from them: when the first goal goes in, confidence looks fragile, and chasing games has exposed defensive gaps.
Fulham, led by Marco Silva, come in with a brighter recent outlook. Their last match in any competition was the 1–0 home win over Nottingham Forest on 22 December, a result that lifted them to 13th on 23 points and reinforced a theme of late: they’ve been finding ways to grind out points even when games are tight. Away from home, they’ve also started to travel better than earlier in the season, which makes this derby feel like a real opportunity rather than simply a test.
The availability picture matters on both sides, especially with AFCON impacting squads. West Ham will be without Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf, both away at the Africa Cup of Nations, removing two defensive options at a time they can least afford disruptions. There are also injury concerns: Oliver Scarles is a doubt after being forced off in the City defeat, while Łukasz Fabiański remains sidelined.
Fulham’s losses are significant too. They are without their Nigeria trio Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze due to AFCON, which takes experience and flexibility out of Silva’s options. In addition, Rodrigo Munizhas been dealing with a hamstring problem, Ryan Sessegnon has been out with a muscle issue, and Saša Lukić has been managed carefully after a recent groin concern.
Tactically, West Ham will want the derby to feel scrappy and emotional in a controlled way — aggressive without becoming stretched. At home they’ll aim to start fast, make the crowd a factor, and lean on moments rather than long spells of dominance. Fulham are generally more comfortable when they can settle into their structure, move the ball through midfield with purpose, and pick the right moments to commit runners forward, particularly if West Ham become impatient.
This derby has a simple edge: West Ham need points urgently and need a performance that settles nerves, while Fulham have a chance to take advantage of the pressure on the hosts and keep their own season moving in the right direction. With absentees on both sides and little margin for error, it has the feel of a game that could be decided by one big moment — or one costly mistake.
