West Ham United v Fulham
Premier League, London Stadium, Sunday 14 April 2024, 2pm BST
West Ham United make a swift return to domestic action when they welcome Marco Silva’s Fulham to London Stadium.
Following Thursday’s UEFA Europa League defeat at Bayer Leverkusen, the Hammers will be looking for a quick turnaround in fortunes at London Stadium on Sunday 14 April, with kick-off set for 2pm.
Still seventh in the standings and well in the hunt for European qualification, David Moyes’ men will be aiming for back-back Premier League victories after a comeback win against Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out, and will be out for revenge, having lost the reverse fixture 5-0 at Craven Cottage in December.
Silva’s men have all but secured their Premier League status for 2024/25 already, with a 14-point cushion to the bottom three after 32 games. They are currently on a three-match winless run, however.
Tickets...
Tickets for this sold-out game are still available on the Ticket Exchange, with Season Ticket Holders who cannot attend this fixture relisting their seats for other supporters to buy.
Click HERE to check availability or relist.
Travel...
There is no planned disruption to TfL Underground services on the Central line, though there are set to be part closures on the Elizabeth line, Jubilee line, Overground and DLR. Supporters using these lines are highly recommended to check their routes before departure.
Similarly, there are disruptions on the c2c and Greater Anglia mainline services, as well as the Southeastern network that serves Stratford International.
Stratford and Stratford City Bus Stations are located in close proximity to Stratford Station. Buses that run to these stations are numbers: 25, 86, 97, 104, 108, 158, 241, 257, 262, 276, 308, 425, 473, D8.
Supporters using public transport are advised to check their journeys before they travel, using resources such as TfL’s Journey Planner and the TfL Go app. Supporters may also wish to visit the National Rail website if travelling on the rail network.
There is no parking available at London Stadium. Restrictions will be in place and enforced in the local area.
DT38 Foundation...
Ten years ago, on 18 April 2014, West Ham United footballer Dylan Tombides bravely lost his battle with testicular cancer. To mark the occasion, and to raise awareness of testicular cancer, Sunday’s fixture will be used to highlight the charity set up in Dylan’s memory, DT38.
The charity is a Principal Charity Partner of the Club, and its work is to emphasise the importance of men and boys checking their testicles once a month through its Check 1-Two campaign to help save lives through education.
To support with this, the charity offers a free e-calendar service meaning you can receive automatic reminders straight to your mobile device calendar to check yourself every month.
DT38 also run several fundraising events each year including a golf day in August, DT38km Challenge in September, White Collar Boxing in November, and this year they will benefit from a football match between legends of the Hammers and Dagenham and Redbridge on 18 May at Chigwell Construction Stadium. Find out more about the charity and how to support their cause by clicking here.
How To Follow...
Sunday’s 2pm kick-off will NOT be broadcast live in the UK, but will be shown across the world by the Premier League’s international broadcast partners.
If you live outside the UK, click HERE for details of Premier League listings in your territory.
You can follow the action via our live blog on whufc.com and our app, and across our social media channels. We will also have highlights and exclusive reaction for you after the final whistle on our website and social media.
Live audio commentary will be available in the UK on BBC Radio London, and worldwide on our official website and app.
Official Programme…
At 116 pages, and just £4 per issue, West Ham United’s 2023/24 Official Programme represents superb value for money for supporters wanting exclusive interviews, attention-grabbing opinions, and eye-catching photographs, plus the regular news, columns, statistics, and insightful content from across all areas of the Club.
Sunday’s issue includes an in-depth interview and analysis of Maxwel Cornet, features with Lucas Paquetá and Alphonse Areola, and a chat with Rufus Brevett, who represented both sides during his storied career.
With Academy content focusing on talented youngster Junior Robinson, who recently signed a new two-and-a-half year contract with the Club, the latest from our women’s team, plus history, puzzles, statistics, and the lowdown on our opponents from Craven Cottage, the Official Programme is packed full of content for you!
Click here to order your copy now!
Team News…
Attacker Jarrod Bowen will be assessed after being withdrawn in the early stages of the second half against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, as will goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, who has missed the last two games with a groin problem.
Kalvin Phillips did not travel with the squad for the UEFA Europa League clash against Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday due to a hamstring injury suffered in training.
Marco Silva is likely to have a near-full squad available for Sunday’s game.
Opposition…
Over the years, several clubs have struggled to nail down a place in the Premier League after winning promotion. But Fulham have seemingly ditched their yo-yo status between the top two divisions in English football.
A tenth-placed finish in the top-flight last term, the highest of the three promoted teams from the Championship, was an excellent return for the Cottagers. Under Portuguese boss Marco Silva, the west London side have found consistency.
And with their Premier League status all but secured for 2024/25, they can start preparing for a third consecutive season of top-flight football.
Fulham were among the favourites to be relegated last season, but by making smart signings and building a strong team ethos, they exceeded many people’s expectations and have established themselves as a competitive force within English football.
The form of striker Aleksandar Mitrović was undoubtedly crucial to the efforts of a top-ten finish, with the Serbian scoring 15 goals in all competitions. With Mitrović departing for Saudi side Al Hilal in the summer though, additions were needed in the summer window.
However, Silva has added real experience to his side in the form of attacking duo Raúl Jiménez and Adama Traoré from Wolverhampton Wanderers, Calvin Bassey from Ajax, right-back Timothy Castagne from Leicester City and versatile midfielder Alex Iwobi from Everton.
But it’s 22-year-old striker Rodrigo Muniz who has stepped up to be the main man for the Cottagers. Before Jiménez’s injury in December, Muniz was mainly used as a substitute and had not scored a Premier League goal, but he has since established himself as one of the most prolific strikers in Europe, with only Jonathan David of Lille (nine) and Harry Kane of Bayern Munich (eight) scoring more goals than him since February.
Several current and former players have featured for both West Ham and Fulham over the years - including Bobby Zamora, Scott Parker and Paul Konchesky - while former Hammer Issa Diop is still a present member of the Cottagers’ set-up.
Previous Meetings…
West Ham United and Fulham meet in the Premier League for the 28th time on Sunday.
The Irons have had the best of things by far down the years, winning 16 of the 28 meetings, while the Whites have won just five, with six draws.
The most recent Premier League meeting at London Stadium ended 3-1 in the Hammers' favour back in October 2022, when Chicharito, Issa Diop and Michail Antonio netted in a comeback win.
Fulham have not won on any of their last ten Premier League visits to east London dating back to a 2-0 victory on 3 November 2001, over 20 years ago. However, the Cottagers did win an FA Cup fifth-round replay at the Boleyn Ground in February 2004.
Match Officials...
Referee: Stuart Attwell
Assistant Referees: Harry Lennard and James Mainwaring
Fourth Official: Michael Salisbury
VAR: Darren England
Assistant VAR: Wade Smith
West Ham will return to Premier League action three days after the Leverkusen clash, at home to Fulham, with Stuart Attwell having been confirmed as the referee for that game.
The 41-year-old became the youngest referee in Premier League history when, at 25, he took charge of Blackburn Rovers’ match against Hull City in August 2008.
He returned to the National List of Referees in 2012, but was promoted back to the Select Group for the 2016/17 season and has since taken charge of just under 200 fixtures in the English top flight.
Originally from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, Attwell held the whistle during Liverpool’s penalty-shootout win over Chelsea in the 2021/22 EFL Cup final, and also oversaw Arsenal’s similarly dramatic Community Shield victory over Manchester City last summer.
This season he has refereed in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Conference League qualifying, as well as during West Ham’s 1-0 defeat at home to Everton in the Premier League.
