Hammers Rout Wolves

West Ham United have really hit form at the start of 2026 and they moved out of the relegation zone, thanks to a resounding 4-0 home win over rock bottom Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday night.

Although they would have liked to have progressed through to their first FA Cup semi-final since 2006 on Sunday, there was truly more importance on this huge Premier League clash than a day out at Wembley at the end of the month.

Nuno Espírito Santo brought back all his “big” guns” back for this game, making five changes. Mads Hermansen was back in goal with Alphonse Areola fit enough for the bench after being substituted in the dying embers of the extra thirty minutes on Sunday, while Konstantinos Mavropanos, Tomáš Souček and Pablo Felipe were also restored to the starting line-up.

The Hammers’ Head-Coach had suggested in his pre-match news conference ahead of this encounter on Wednesday afternoon that Crysencio Summerville’s calf injury was improving day by day and that a final decision would be made as late as possible. Well, the former Leeds United winger was able to start the game and in so doing made his 50^th appearance for the club.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean-Clair Todibo and Callum Wilson had all returned to the matchday squad and were on the bench, along with Adama Traoré, while Max Kilman wasn’t involved at all. Craig Dawson also missed out on a reunion with his former club.

I mentioned in my preview to this game that there would be no margin for error here and although the visitors started the brighter of the two sides, given that they have more time to prepare, the home side were thankful that they weren’t able to take one of their early chances. André, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Yerson Mosquera all tried their luck but couldn’t change the scoreline.

Whilst visiting Head-Coach Rob Edwards saw his side dominate the play, Summerville did get an early opportunity but unfortunately for the home faithful, he wasted his effort and the shot over the bar, following good play from Mateus Fernandes.

Given the nature of what was at stake in this game, it was clear to see why the first-half was a very cagey affair. When West Ham tried to create opportunities but, Wolves just weren’t letting them through. captain Jarrod Bowen failed to even test visiting goalkeeper José Sá, while Kyle Walker-Peters intercepted just as Hugo Bueno was about to get shot away.

Valentín Castellanos then went for the spectacular and tried to beat Sá from long-range but predictably, it didn’t come off and instead, the ball landed on the roof of the net.

Despite carrying the greater threat in the opening forty five minutes, they were unable to take advantage. This was in evidence when Adam Armstrong fired over. Up the other end, Souček sent an effort wide.

Hermansen was in the right place to grab the ball after Armstrong had flicked a header on and when West Ham started to flood forward, both Bowen and El Hadji Malick Diouf were denied by a resolute defence.

The home skipper was heavily involved in the move that put them in front just before the break. He earned and delivered a corner, then after a passing move with Fernandes, he took a touch and delivered the ball into the area where Mavropanos met it with a thumping header to give Sá no chance.

The Greek defender is currently in a rich vein of goalscoring form as he also netted in the last home league game against Manchester City.

The home fans would have been disappointed to see that Sá was alert to West Ham’s next chance, as he kept out a shot, following a pass from Castellanos.

When referee Jarred Gillett blew the half-time whistle, the atmosphere around the ground was a lot better compared to what it was at this stage just five days earlier.

You could just tell that West Ham were more relaxed when the action recommenced as they finally found their rhythm. The momentum of the game was definitely starting to swing but having said that, Edwards saw his side go close through former Manchester United youngster Angel Gomes but thankfully for the majority inside the stadium, his shot hit the post from a free-kick.

Summerville then tried to beat Sá from long-range but only succeeded in sending his attempt over.

Luck does not appear to be with Bowen at this current time!!! He hit the woodwork several times against Leeds United last time out and did so again here, as he had Sá beaten but his curling left-footed effort didn’t nestle in the back of net.

The visitors perhaps should have equalised but fortunately for the home side, Gomes sent his free-kick wide of the target. Minutes later, Ladislav Krejčí wasted another chance, as he headed wide.

Wolves would have wished that they had taken one of those chances because soon after West Ham finished the game off in devastating fashion. Just after the hour mark, Castellanos helped himself to two goals in as many minutes to propel his side up the top-flight table.

Diouf was forever grateful to his goalkeeper for preventing a certain own goal. The Dane saved his teammates blushes by making an instinctive save.

It took Espírito Santo ten minutes after the points had been wrapped up to make any changes but when he did, he started by making two. Both Freddie Potts and Traoré were introduced for Summerville and Felipe. The former Wolves chief then made another change just four minutes later as Wilson entered the fray in place of Castellanos.

Wilson’s introduction meant that West Ham were more of an attacking threat and no sooner had the former Coventry City, AFC Bournemouth and Newcastle United player come onto the pitch than the margin of victory had become an even greater and it was Mavropanos who has helped himself to a second, as he volleyed his team’s latest corner past a helpless Sá.

Both bosses then made further alterations, as Edwards threw on Tom Edozie, while the East Londoners gave Soungoutou Magassa the final few minutes as the Frenchman took the place of Fernandes.

Traoré missed a golden opportunity to pile more misery on his former club, as he raced clear of their defence but sending an effort wide.

After four minutes of stoppage time had been added, West Ham’s biggest win of the season was confirmed by Gillett’s whistle. Not only that, but they were finally out of the bottom three. Let’s hope that it can stay that way until they play their next game away at Crystal Palace on 20 April.