West Ham eager to end four-game winless run in weekend fixture against Ipswich.

2024-10-01

At the London Stadium, West Ham will aim to snap their troubling home losing streak against newly promoted Ipswich Town, who arrive seeking their first win of the season amidst a four-game drawing run.

West Ham United

West Ham extended their winless streak to four games, following a 1-1 draw against Brentford in the London derby. Bryan Mbeumo's early goal put the Bees ahead, marking the third consecutive game they scored inside the opening minute. However, Tomáš Souček equalized in the 54th minute, dampening the celebratory mood for Brentford.

Currently positioned 14th in the Premier League, West Ham have amassed 5 points from their six games (1W, 2D, 3L). Their record against Ipswich suggests they have the upper hand, having lost just one of their eight Premier League encounters (3W, 4D, 1L), with that solitary defeat occurring in March 2001.

Despite this, West Ham's home form this season has been poor, with three consecutive home defeats adding pressure on recently appointed manager Julen Lopetegui. This rough start at home is unprecedented in the club's history. For the upcoming match, a 4-1-4-1 formation might be employed, featuring Michail Antonio in the attack. Niclas Füllkrug's participation is doubtful due to a calf injury, while Edson Alvarez is available again after serving a suspension.

Ipswich Town

Ipswich Town have now drawn four consecutive games, the most recent being a 2-2 thriller against Aston Villa, where they initially took the lead. Liam Delap was instrumental, netting both goals in a topsy-turvy encounter.

Heading into their weekend game against West Ham, Ipswich has accumulated four points from their last six outings with no wins. Drawing four games in a row, they could match Fulham's 2021 record of five consecutive draws.

Despite the run of draws, Ipswich may find solace in their recent record against West Ham, having won their last two league meetings, including a memorable 5-1 home victory back in the 2011-12 Championship campaign.

For this fixture, Ipswich is expected to deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation featuring Liam Delap in attack. However, they might be without up to three players, including Janoi Donacien, while Harry Clarke and Nathan Broadhead remain doubtful for Saturday's clash.