West Ham United turn their attention to the Carabao Cup with a home tie against Premier League side Fulham on Tuesday evening. The match at the London Stadium offers a chance to extend a formidable winning run that has propelled the club to the summit of the Championship.
Form and momentum
The Hammers enter the fixture in rampant form, having demolished Wrexham 6-0 in their last outing. That result was part of a four-game winning streak and an unbeaten run of five matches, leaving the side top of the league with 14 points from seven games. Jarrod Bowen, who scored twice in the recent 3-2 win at Bolton, opened the scoring against Wrexham, with Joel Piroe, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Taty Castellanos, Mohamadou Kante and Manor Solomon also on target in a comprehensive display.
Team news and opposition
Manager David Moyes is expected to rotate his squad for the cup contest, with the Championship schedule continuing at Millwall this weekend. Defender Joël Veltman is currently sidelined and will miss the match. Fulham arrive after a hard-fought 0-0 draw at Liverpool but have struggled for consistency, with just one win in their last five league games. They will be without midfielder Tom Cairney, who is recovering from a knee injury and is not expected back until late October.
The challenge ahead
Facing top-flight opposition represents a significant step up from recent league fixtures, testing the depth and quality of Moyes's squad. The manager will be keen to see his fringe players seize their opportunity and maintain the positive momentum building around the club.
