This was the latest West Ham humiliation of the season, and possibly Nuno Espírito Santo’s last. They became the first team to lose to Wolves at the 20th time of asking, allowing the Midlands club to double their points tally in the process and bring hope of not being the worst team in Premier League history, while leaving the Hammers four points adrift of the last safe position.
Former Wolves head coach Nuno has already been sacked once this season and a ninth game without victory will increase the pressure on a man who was more popular with the home fans, who celebrated first-half goals from Jhon Arias, Hwang Hee-chan and Mateus Mané, than the away end at Molineux. West Ham failed to get a shot on target against a team without a clean sheet prior to Saturday, who had secured three draws and nothing else in 19 matches, to put them in danger of falling below Derby’s record low of 11 points, although if the Hammers continue to play like this they might finish only three better off.
Fewer than four minutes into Wolves’ new year, they were able to give the impression of finding resolution. Hwang had already offered a glimpse of a revitalised man with a 50-yard run and he backed it up with an assist, thanks to good combination play with Mané, pulling the ball back to an untracked Arias to slide home from close range to give Wolves a home lead for the first time since 5 October. There was energy on the pitch and in the stands, something of a rarity this season.
This was the hosts’ best chance of victory this season, against a side who arrived woefully out of form. To further hinder the visitors, they were without the injured Lucas Paquetá, their most creative player. Confused by being ahead, Wolves did everything to protect it, putting 11 men behind the ball from an early stage. The nerves were not helped when José Sá dropped a simple cross, before recovering.
West Ham were generous guests, bringing plenty of gifts with them. First the former Wolves captain Max Kilman failed to make a simple clearance from a cross, allowing Mané to step in, only to be brought down by Soungoutou Magassa inside the box. The 18-year-old former Rochdale youngster was proving the most influential man in gold. Hwang stepped up to double the lead. Chants of “We’re going to win the league” rang around Molineux, while the away end pondered a return visit next season.
Short on confidence and ideas, West Ham were drifting out of the game despite dominating possession, registering a single shot in the first half, which flew over the bar from distance. Tolu Arokodare almost made it three with a point-blank header, only for Alphonse Areola to produce an instinctive save.
The goalkeeper and his teammates were unable to stop Mané, a fearless youth among trepidatious adults, who turned exquisitely and cut in from the left before driving towards the box and thrashing a low shot into the corner from 18 yards for his first senior goal as a professional. There were plenty of nerves flying prior to the third but finally Wolves supporters were enjoying themselves.
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• The side starting the day bottom has won just two of their last 32 Premier League games (D6 L24), with both victories coming against teams managed by Nuno Espírito Santo (Wolves v West Ham today, and West Ham at Nottingham Forest in August).
• Nuno Espírito Santo has gone 26 Premier League games without seeing his side keep a clean sheet, across spells at Nottingham Forest and West Ham. Only Steve Kean (30 between May 2011 and March 2012) has gone longer without a shutout among managers in the competition’s history.
• West Ham’s Nuno Espírito Santo is the first manager in Premier League history to lose against teams starting the day bottom of the table with two different clubs in the same season (also 3-0 with Nottingham Forest against West Ham in August). Opta
With nothing to lose, except his employment, Nuno made a double substitution at half-time and changed the formation to a more attacking 3-4-3. Jarrod Bowen was muted, apart from a misdirected overhead kick, meaning Crysencio Summerville was tasked with providing much-needed threat but he struggled, too.
A sense of nervousness still clouded Wolves’ judgment, unsure whether to smash the ball clear or play out from the back. Decisions were overthought needlessly, inviting pressure but they need not have worried against such meek opponents. West Ham’s own failings were apparent, as they were unable to produce anything meaningful in the final third.
Wolves were the only side who looked capable of scoring and West Ham will be relieved the embarrassment was not greater. They host 17th-placed Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, with the fixture critical in the battle for survival. On this evidence, West Ham should be afraid.
