In what could be a crucial match in the battle for survival, West Ham United will face travellers Brentford in a derby at the London Stadium on Monday in the Premier League.
The 19th-placed Hammers will be looking for their first win in four, and a victory would bring the club level on seven points with Brentford, who lost 1-0 against Manchester City on October 5 prior to the international break and head into the clash in 16th place.
Match preview
West Ham's 2-0 defeat against Arsenal on October 4 extended their winless streak to four games, a period in which they lost three times and scored just two goals.
Boss Nuno Espirito Santo has not yet been able to instil the same defensive resilience into his Hammers squad that Nottingham Forest had when he was head coach, with his current side conceding three times in his two games in charge.
In fact, the Londoners have conceded at leas two goals in six of their eight fixtures this term while also failing to find the back of the net on four occasions.
West Ham are yet to be leading at the half-time interval of a Premier League game this term - they are one of only two teams yet to be ahead at the break - and seven of their eight goals in all competition have come in the second half.
The London Stadium has not been a safe haven for the Hammers, who have been beaten in all three of their outings at home, with opposition teams scoring a total of 10 goals.
West Ham United head coach Nuno Espirito Santo on September 29, 2025
Brentford should not be disheartened by their defeat against Manchester City given they were ultimately undone by the brilliance of Erling Haaland, but they were otherwise competitive against Pep Guardiola's juggernauts.
Manager Keith Andrews will also point out that his side have just three points fewer at this stage of the season than they did in 2024-25, and a win would match the tally they totalled after eight games last term.
Brentford conceded 13 times in their first seven Premier League outings under Thomas Frank last term, one more than they have under Andrews this season, though their tally of nine goals scored in 2025-26 is three worse than at the same stage last campaign.
The Bees suffered defeats in two of their past three contests, and they have triumphed just once in five top-flight games, but they did win 1-0 when they travelled to the London Stadium in February.
However, Brentford's away record this season has been poor, with the club succumbing to losses in each of their three league matches on the road.
West Ham United Premier League form:
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W
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West Ham United form (all competitions):
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Brentford Premier League form:
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Brentford form (all competitions):
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Team News
Niclas Fullkrug of West Ham United during his side's match against Everton, on Sportsphoto September 29, 2025
West Ham will be able to welcome back Tomas Soucek, whose red card against Tottenham Hotspur on September 13 meant he missed the last three games, but it remains to be seen if Santo will select him given his poor form.
Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa are far more energetic than the likes of Soucek and James Ward-Prowse, and the duo have a strong chance of featuring together in midfield.
Striker Niclas Fullkrug is unfortunately sidelined, with no clear timeframe on when he could make his return, but Callum Wilson is ready to make his second Premier League start.
As for Brentford, they are dealing with an injury to midfielder Antoni Milambo, though Jordan Henderson and Yehor Yarmolyuk are fit to feature.
Defender Aaron Hickey picked up a knock on international duty for Scotland, but he has returned to training and should be ready to make an appearance in some capacity.
Centre-forward Igor Thiago will be hoping to add to his tally of four Premier League goals, and he will expect Mikkel Damsgaard to supply him with chances.
West Ham United possible starting lineup:
Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Diouf; Fernandes, Magassa; Bowen, Paqueta, Summerville; Wilson
Brentford possible starting lineup:
Kelleher; Kayode, Collins, Van den Berg, Hickey; Henderson, Yarmolyuk; Ouattara, Damsgaard, Schade; Thiago
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We say: West Ham United 2-2 Brentford
Nuno Espirito Santo will be desperate to get his first win as boss, but his side may have to score more than once considering their defensive record is poor.
Brentford will be facing a side lacking in confidence, but they are yet to avoid defeat on their travels this term, so it would not be surprising if they had to share the spoils with West Ham.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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