Wolves 1 West Ham 0 – Report

The striker should have scored in the first half when he was played through on goal, but the hosts were forced into half-time drawing 0-0 after a dominant display.

They came out in the second and continued their momentum as they attacked at will. The goal then came just before the hour mark when Jimenez swept home an accurate effort into the bottom corner.

In similar fashion to the two wins over Newcastle and Everton, Wolves then began sitting deeper and defending their slim lead.

The Hammers had chances to snatch an equaliser but Wolves' defence stood firm to secure the three points.

Bruno Lage made one change to his side after the defeat to Crystal Palace, but stuck with the 3-4-3 formation.

Daniel Podence came in for only his second Premier League start of the season as Francisco Trincao dropped to the bench.

Unlike the first game back from the October international break, this time Jimenez did start as he led the line.

There was also one change on the bench as Fernando Marcal returned from injury and replaced young goalkeeper Louie Moulden. As Lage said he would do in his pre-match press conference, he stuck with Rayan Ait-Nouri at left-wing-back after his impressive spell during Marcal’s absence.

David Moyes also made one change to his side following their impressive 3-2 win over Liverpool before the international break, starting in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Angelo Ogbonna withdrew from that game with injury and was unavailable for the trip to Molineux, meaning former Albion defender Craig Dawson took his place.

The Hammers were also handed an injury boost as Andriy Yarmolenko and Nikola Vlasic returned and made the bench.

Michail Antonio started and led the line after West Ham co-owner David Sullivan spent £100,000 to charter a private jet to fly the striker back from his international exploits with Jamaica, in order to give him more training time ahead of the game.

Ahead of kick-off, tributes were paid to Wolves legend Ron Flowers MBE who passed away on November 12, aged 87.

A special service was held at St Peter's Collegiate Church in the city centre before the game, before flowers were laid on the Molineux pitch to honour the former midfielder.

A minute’s applause also took place, as chants of ‘there’s only one Ron Flowers’ echoed around the ground.

Back on the field and it was a fairly quiet first 10 minutes. Lage has previously been critical of his side for relinquishing too much possession and in the opening stages of this clash they aimed to get on the ball more frequently.

Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho were nicely knocking it around and searched for wing-backs Nelson Semedo and Ait-Nouri.

The visitors then had their own spell of pressure and looked dangerous when Antonio neatly rolled Max Kilman and raced into the box. Eventually the danger was mopped up by Neves.

The first two big chances of the game then fell to Moyes’ side with Jarrod Bowen involved in both. First, the winger crossed low for Pablo Fornals but the midfielder just missed it as he came sliding in. The ball was immediately recycled and an Aaron Cresswell cross was headed narrowly wide by Bowen.

Buoyed on by the home crowd, Wolves had a few forays forward too. A nice Hwang Hee-chan ball almost played in Semedo.

Podence was playing much more centrally as well – drifting inside and then back out wide when needed. He was finding some space in between the lines, too.

In another long spell of possession, Wolves looked after the ball well as they tried to break down a stubborn West Ham defence. A first time Ait-Nouri cross found Semedo at the far post but his snatched effort trickled wide.

Wolves were screaming for a penalty when Hwang’s crossed hit Ben Johnson’s arm, but referee Mike Dean was not interested. Wolves immediately charged forward again and this time Semedo was free at the far post but his effort was blocked well by Cresswell.

The chances then came thick and fast for Wolves, who should have taken the lead. A wonderful ball from Neves and a perfectly timed run from Jimenez saw the striker race through on goal. He attempted the same chip that earned him a goal against Everton but this time he failed to get it on target.

But the hosts continued to go up through the gears and Moutinho had a shot tipped over the bar, before Romain Saiss almost headed home from the resulting corner. His effort was flicked on at the near post and somehow did not find the goal.

Kurt Zouma did have the ball in the net just before half-time but a foul was given as Antonio bundled goalkeeper Jose Sa to the floor as the corner came in.

Bowen was then almost given a chance when Conor Coady missed a header in the box, but Kilman covered for his captain.

Wolves’ play and chances merited a goal but they entered half-time drawing 0-0. A key moment for the hosts was when Podence began to pick the ball up in pockets of space and the chances then began to flow.

With the second half underway Wolves almost got off to the perfect start when the ball was worked to Podence on the edge of the box. His low shot was saved well by Lukasz Fabianski.

The winger then had another brilliant effort tipped over the bar as Wolves continued to dominate the ball and chances.

Declan Rice then directed an effort straight at Sa as the visitors searched for an opportunity.

But before the hour mark Wolves took a deserved lead. Jimenez started the move with a lovely reverse pass out to Podence on the right. The winger then crossed low for the striker who smashed the ball into the bottom corner.

With the home crowd enjoying their team’s dominant display, Wolves continued to look after the ball, win it back high up the pitch and create chances.

Some sloppy defending almost allowed Antonio to get through, though, but his effort was poor and flashed over the bar. The striker later set up Bowen inside the box and he should have scored with a good view of goal, but instead blazed over.

Wolves were starting to sit a bit deeper after the 70th minute with the visitors dominating the ball and putting crosses into the box. With more counter attacking opportunities, Adama Traore replaced Podence after 76 minutes.

The hosts found some respite through superb tackles from Ait-Nouri and Hwang, but for the most part it was 10 gold shirts behind the ball with Jimenez isolated up front. Lage beefed up the midfield after 87 minutes when Leander Dendoncker replaced Hwang, changing to a 3-5-2 formation.

Wolves should have found a second goal shortly after when a Moutinho free-kick found Kilman 12 yards out. He took a nice touch but then blazed his volley over the bar.

With four minutes of added time on the clock Wolves were still clinging on to their lead, but some resolute defending meant they saw it out and secured an impressive victory.

Wolves: Sa, Kilman, Coady, Saiss, Semedo, Neves, Moutinho, Ait-Nouri, Podence (Traore, 76), Jimenez, Hwang (Dendoncker, 87).

Subs not used: Ruddy, Marcal, Hoever, Boly, Cundle, Trincao, Silva.

West Ham: Fabianski, Johnson, Zouma, Dawson, Cresswell, Rice, Soucek, Bowen (Vlasic, 71), Fornals (Lanzini, 59), Benrahma (Yarmolenko, 71), Antonio.

Subs not used: Areola, Coufal, Diop, Masuaku, Kral, Noble.