West Ham United will look to continue their impressive run of form when they welcome Wrexham to the London Stadium on Friday night.
The Hammers are pushing to consolidate their place at the top of the EFL Championship table, while Wrexham have made a relatively solid but inconsistent start to another season in the second tier.
After a worrying spell in late August, West Ham have completely transformed their momentum. Nuno Espírito Santo’s side collected just one point from matches against Charlton Athletic and Watford, but they have responded with three consecutive Championship victories.
The Hammers have been particularly impressive in attack, scoring 10 goals across their last three league matches, against Wolves, Derby County, and Bolton Wanderers. That form has propelled West Ham towards the top of the Championship standings, and victory on Friday would move them into first place.
There is still work to do defensively, however. West Ham have recorded just one clean sheet in eight competitive matches this season, suggesting that their success has been built largely on their ability to outscore opponents. Jarrod Bowen has been one of the main contributors, recording three goals and two assists from his six Championship starts.
Wrexham have produced an intriguing start to their Championship campaign and Phil Parkinson’s side have drawn four of their six matches, demonstrating considerable resilience but also highlighting their difficulty in turning competitive performances into victories. Their away record has been particularly encouraging as Wrexham earned 1-1 draws against Cardiff City and Swansea City, with those Welsh derbies providing valuable points. Sandwiched between those results was an impressive 3-0 victory over Millwall.
However, their home performances have been less convincing, with only two points collected against Watford, Birmingham City, and Burnley. Another concern is their scoring record. Aside from the three goals against Millwall, Wrexham have netted just four times across their other five matches. Parkinson will therefore need his attacking players to become more productive if Wrexham are to challenge at the top end of the Championship.
The tactical battle should centre around West Ham’s attacking quality against Wrexham’s ability to remain organised. West Ham are likely to dominate possession and push Wrexham backwards, using their wide players to create crossing opportunities and attacking overloads.
The away side’s best chance could come through counter-attacks. Their ability to frustrate stronger opponents and recover from losing positions has already been demonstrated this season, with two of their four draws coming after they had fallen behind.
West Ham must therefore avoid giving the visitors unnecessary opportunities on the break. At the other end, Wrexham cannot afford to sit too deep for the entire match. West Ham have scored freely during their current winning streak, and sustained pressure will eventually create openings.
There is a clear contrast between the two teams’ current trajectories as West Ham have gone from struggling for results to producing three successive victories and 10 goals, while Wrexham have collected four draws from six matches. The visitors’ form on the road means they should not be dismissed, but West Ham’s superior squad quality and attacking momentum make them the clear favourites.
Wrexham will likely attempt to keep the game close for as long as possible, but maintaining concentration against West Ham’s attack for 90 minutes will be a major challenge. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the day.
Team News & Tactics
West Ham United
West Ham United are expected to make a few changes to their starting XI as Nuno Espirito Santo looks to manage his squad during a busy run of fixtures. Joel Veltman, Manor Solomon, and Joel Piroe are among those pushing for starts, while Edvin Austbo and Pablo could drop to the bench. Recent signing Morato is unlikely to make his first start for the club.
There is also a fitness concern over Taty Castellanos, who picked up a hamstring problem against Derby County. Nuno may therefore decide not to risk the forward, particularly with Piroe available to lead the attack. The Hammers are expected to use a 4-4-1-1 formation, with Mads Hermansen in goal and Kyle Walker-Peters, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Max Kilman, and Oliver Scarles forming the defensive line.
In midfield, Jarrod Bowen and Manor Solomon should provide width, while Divine Mukasa and Arne Engels operate centrally. The former’s energy and ability to carry the ball forward could be important against a Wrexham side likely to defend compactly. Mohamadou Kante is expected to play just behind the main striker, giving West Ham another attacking presence between Wrexham’s midfield and defence.
Up front, Joel Piroe should lead the line. The Suriname international has already demonstrated his finishing ability since joining West Ham and will look to add to his goals tally against a Wrexham defence that could face sustained pressure.
West Ham’s biggest tactical advantage should come from their ability to attack from wide areas. Bowen and Solomon can stretch Wrexham’s defensive block, while Piroe can occupy the centre-backs and attack deliveries into the penalty area. However, Nuno will also be conscious of West Ham’s defensive record.
The Hammers have kept only one clean sheet in eight competitive matches this season, so maintaining their defensive shape when the full-backs advance will remain important. With Wrexham capable of counter-attacking effectively, West Ham must avoid allowing the visitors to exploit space behind Walker-Peters and Scarles.
Probable Lineup (4-4-1-1): Hermansen; Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Kilman, Scarles; Bowen, Mukasa, Engels, Solomon; Kante; Piroe
Wrexham
Wrexham are expected to make at least one defensive change after Max Cleworth suffered an injury against Burnley earlier this week. Either Zak Vyner or Joe Worrall is likely to replace him in the back three. The short turnaround could also encourage Phil Parkinson to rotate his squad, with Danny Imray, Oliver Rathbone, Nathan Broadhead, and Sam Smith all pushing for recalls.
Wrexham are expected to retain their 3-4-2-1 formation, with Anthony Patterson in goal and Callum Doyle, Dominic Hyam, and Zak Vyner likely to form the three-man defence. The wing-backs, Danny Imray and Jacques Ekomie, will have an important role on Friday. They will need to provide an attacking outlet while also tracking West Ham’s wide players, particularly Jarrod Bowen and Manor Solomon.
Ben Whiteman and Lewis O’Brien should anchor the midfield, with their main task likely to be disrupting West Ham’s possession and preventing the hosts from finding space between the lines. Further forward, Nathan Broadhead and Josh Windass are expected to operate behind Sam Smith. Their movement could provide Wrexham with opportunities to counter-attack when West Ham commit numbers forward.
Parkinson’s side have demonstrated impressive resilience this season, with four draws from six Championship matches, while two of those stalemates came after Wrexham had fallen behind. That ability to recover could be important if West Ham take an early lead. The away side’s biggest challenge will be their attacking efficiency.
Aside from their 3-0 victory over Millwall, they have scored only four goals across their other five matches. Against a West Ham side that has scored 10 times in its last three league games, the visitors will need to be considerably more clinical.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Patterson; Doyle, Hyam, Vyner; Imray, Whiteman, O’Brien, Ekomie; Broadhead, Windass; Smith
Key Stats
- West Ham United have won their last three Championship matches, beating Southampton, Wolves and Bolton, and have scored 10 goals across their last three league victories.
- West Ham are the Championship’s highest scorers, with 14 goals from their opening six league matches. They have also scored in every league game so far.
- Wrexham have drawn four of their six Championship matches, the joint-highest number of draws in the division. They have lost only once.
- Wrexham have been extremely solid away from home, remaining unbeaten in their three Championship away matches. They have conceded just one goal on the road, the fewest away goals conceded in the division.
- West Ham’s home games have been high-scoring as they have scored eight goals and conceded four across three Championship matches at home.
Player to Watch
Jarrod Bowen
The West Ham captain has been one of the Hammers’ most productive players in the Championship this season, registering three goals and two assists from his six league starts. Bowen’s form received a major boost in West Ham’s most recent match against Bolton, when he scored twice in a 3-2 victory, helping the Hammers extend their winning streak to three Championship matches.
His ability to operate from the right and cut inside should be particularly dangerous against Wrexham’s expected back three. Bowen can combine with Divine Mukasa and Joel Piroe, while also exploiting the spaces created when Wrexham’s wing-backs push forward.
The England international also has previous experience of excelling in the Championship. During his final season with Hull City in 2019/20, he scored 16 goals and provided six assists in 29 league appearances. With West Ham chasing another victory to strengthen their position at the top of the table, Bowen’s goals and creativity could prove decisive.
Prediction
West Ham United 3-1 Wrexham
Wrexham have shown enough resilience to make this competitive, particularly on the counter-attack. However, West Ham’s recent attacking form is difficult to ignore. With Bowen in good form and the Hammers scoring 10 goals across their last three Championship matches, the hosts should create enough chances to secure another victory.
