Match preview - West Ham v Wolves

A cup tie for Wolves to (hopefully) enjoy.

Three successive victories in the bag, and a break from the league with a fixture they're not expected to win, means the pressure's very much off Kenny Jackett's team.

Like Brighton away, it's almost a free hit, and with confidence in the squad soaring, they will look to make the most of what is the club's last ever trip to Upton Park.

They'll be backed by 3,000 vociferous supporters (their biggest away following of the season) as well.

And Jackett has pledged to select his strongest available side, declaring that he's very keen for a cup run this season.

A cup classic? With Wolves' recent 'park the bus' tactics likely to be utilised again, perhaps not, but depending on how seriously Slaven Bilic's Hammers are taking the competition this year, Jackett's rejuvenated side are an outside bet to cause an upset.

Argentinian midfielder Manuel Lanzini is out with a thigh injury for West Ham.

But star summer signing Dimitri Payet, who has lit up the Premier League since moving from Marseille for what looks like a bargain £10m, could start for the first time in a couple of months after returning from the bench against Liverpool last weekend.

Victor Moses (hamstring) and Diafra Sakho (thigh) are out, while Winston Reid (hamstring) faces a late fitness test.

Jordan Graham is 50/50 with an ankle knock for Wolves, although with a league fixture at home to Fulham on Tuesday, he's unlikely to feature if there's a chance of aggravating the injury.

That opens the door for Polish winger Michal Zyro to possibly make his debut, especially with Sheyi Ojo having departed early for Liverpool. Nathan Byrne is another option on the left.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is back after two months out with a thigh injury and may start, but Kortney Hause is still some weeks away from a return.

Jed Wallace certainly won't play, having gone to Millwall on loan for a month.

LIKELY LINE UPS

West Ham (4-4-2): Randolph; Tomkins, Collins, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Antonio, Noble, Kouyate, Payet; Carroll, Valencia. Subs: Randolph, Jenkinson, Reid, Song, Obiang, Zarate, Jelavic.

Wolves (4-5-1): Ikeme; Iorfa, Batth, Ebanks-Landell, Doherty; Byrne, Edwards, McDonald, Coady, Zyro; Afobe. Subs: Martinez, Golbourne, Price, Henry, Graham, Sigurdarson, Le Fondre.

FORM GUIDE

Defensive rigidity has been the name of the game for both teams of late.

West Ham have conceded just three in their last seven fixtures in an unbeaten run that has got their unlikely Champions League hopes back on track.

Five successive draws were followed by impressive home wins over Southampton and Liverpool, with Andy Carroll impressing in the latter in a goalscoring appearance against his old club.

Wolves have been transformed since Christmas. Three wins and three clean sheets is their best run of the season.

This will be a big step up in standard, though, in their first game against Premier League opposition since September 2012 (erm...a 6-0 defeat at Chelsea in the League Cup).

MATCH ODDS

Unsurprisingly, the hosts are big favourites. They're 8/11, with Wolves big outsiders on 7/2, while a draw is 29/10.

For first goalscorer, the six players with the lowest odds are all Hammers ­- Carroll, Valencia, Jelavic, Zarate, Antonio and Payet.

Benik Afobe is 7/1, and if he scores first in a 1-1 draw it's 35/1.

Bjorn Sigurdarson is 9/1 to score last with a cheeky goal from the bench.

For the more adventurous, possible debutant Michal Zyro to score first in a 2-0 Wolves win is 150/1.

LAST FIVE AT UPTON PARK

January 1, 2011 (Premier League), West Ham 2 Wolves 0. A bitter blow in Wolves' relegation battle, with the Hammers climbing off the bottom of the table and leaving Wolves in 20th instead. A Ronald Zubar own goal was followed by a second from Freddie Sears.

March 23, 2010 (Premier League), West Ham 1 Wolves 3. A much happier trip for both Zubar and Wolves. Arguably their finest away performance in the three-year stint they had in the top flight. Kevin Doyle and Matt Jarvis joined Zubar on the scoresheet.

October 2, 2004 (Championship), West Ham 1 Wolves 0. The pressure continued to mount on Dave Jones as Teddy Sheringham came off the bench to win it for the Hammers.

March 6, 1993 (Division One), West Ham 3 Wolves 1. A comfortable win for Billy Bonds' Hammers on their way to promotion to the top flight. Steve Bull scored for the visitors but Trevor Morley, a penalty from Julian Dicks and a late Derek Mountfield own goal gave the hosts the points.

September 15, 1990 (Second Division), West Ham 1 Wolves 1. Another second tier clash and another Bully goal, which cancelled out Alvin Martin's second-minute opener.

PRE-MATCH MANAGER THOUGHTS

Slaven Bilic: ""I've watched a few (Wolves) games and they are on a good run.

"They are a very compact team and very confident because they have not conceded in three games.

"They are hard to beat and good on the counter attack. It's a cup tie, and always a platform for big surprises, but of course we are approaching the FA Cup very seriously.

"We are expecting a tough game, but we are playing at home, I am expecting us to play good and progress."

Kenny Jackett: "

THE REF

Anthony Taylor (Cheshire): The Premier League ref has dished out just two reds in his 23 games this season, which have included a Euro Championship qualifier and a Champions League game. One of those reds was for West Ham goalkeeper Adrian in their 2-1 home defeat to Leicester in August.

PREDICTION

Optimistically, 1-1. But realistically, a 3-1 home win.