Wolves 1-0 West Ham: Player ratings as Hammers go joint-bottom
By Sean Walsh
West Ham are only being kept off the foot of the Premier League table on goal difference after losing 1-0 to relegation rivals Wolves.
The pressure has been cranked up on David Moyes after another limp defeat, with Julen Lopetegui's side climbing to 16th with victory.
After some Wolves bursts forward without getting a shot away in the opening minutes, Jarrod Bowen fired an effort towards Jose Sa, with the Portuguese goalkeeper doing enough to keep him out.
A low cross from Nelson Semedo towards the free Daniel Podence rolled just behind the diminutive winger with the goal gaping as Wolves continued their fruitless forays into the opposition's final third.
Semedo and Matheus Nunes both had shots from distance blocked, while Ruben Neves' improvised half-volley sailed harmlessly wide of Lukasz Fabianski's goal soon after.
At the other end, Vladimir Coufal had a shot blocked off the line by Hugo Bueno after Lucas Paqueta's high ball into the Wolves box caused confusion for both sets of players.
Just after half-time Wolves took a deserved lead. Nunes led a swift break for the hosts, and while his initial ball into the box was cleared by Aaron Cresswell, Podence was on hand to sweep into the far corner from the edge of the area.
Disgruntled West Ham fans began chanting Said Benrahma's name in the hope that he would be introduced, and their prayers were answered when the Algerian came on for the final half hour.
The hosts continued to threaten, however, with Neves rattling the bar and then Rayan Ait-Nouri the post, though the latter was flagged offside.
Ultimately, West Ham provided little to no threat and left Molineux as deserved losers following six minutes of stoppage time.
Wolves player ratings
GK: Jose Sa (6); RB: Nelson Semedo (7), CB: Nathan Collins (7), CB: Max Kilman (7), LB: Hugo Bueno (7); CM: Ruben Neves (7), CM: Matheus Nunes (7), CM: Joao Moutinho (6); RW: Hwang Hee-chan (7), CF: Matheus Cunha (7), LW: Daniel Podence (8)
Subs: Raul Jimenez (5), Rayan Ait Nouri (6), Mario Lemina (5), Adama Traore (6), Toti (N/A)
West Ham player ratings
GK: Lukasz Fabianski (5), RB: Vladimir Coufal (6), CB: Nayef Aguerd (6), CB: Angelo Ogbonna (6), LB: Aaron Cresswell (5); CM: Declan Rice (6), CM: Lucas Paqueta (5), CM: Tomas Soucek (4); RW: Jarrod Bowen (6), CF: Michail Antonio (5), LW: Pablo Fornals (5)
Subs: Said Benrahma (5), Gianluca Scamacca (5)