West Ham United, desperate for their first win under new manager Nuno Espírito Santo, face a Leeds United side struggling for form at Elland Road in a pivotal Premier League encounter. BBC Sport highlights key themes for this Friday night showdown, with both teams needing points to climb away from the relegation zone.
West Ham’s Dismal Start and Historical Struggles
West Ham’s season has been dire, with only four points from eight games, matching their worst-ever Premier League starts in 1973-74 and 1988-89. A 2-0 home loss to Brentford marked their fifth consecutive top-flight home defeat, a rare low not seen since 1931. Nuno, winless in his first three games, risks joining Manuel Pellegrini (2018) as the only Hammers manager to go four games without a victory. However, their strong recent record against Leeds, four wins in six league meetings (D1, L1), offers hope, contrasting their historical struggles (just four wins in 37 prior encounters). Despite this, their attack has been toothless, scoring only six goals while conceding 18.
Leeds’ Wasteful Attack and Home Fortress Hopes
Leeds, sitting 16th with eight points, have won just once since the opening weekend, their latest defeat a 2-0 loss to Burnley despite dominating attacking metrics. Their 6.7% shot conversion rate is their lowest on record, despite averaging 13 shots per game, the highest for a promoted side since 2020-21. A 23-game unbeaten home streak ended against Tottenham, and Daniel Farke’s side are eager to restore Elland Road’s fearsome reputation. Injuries to Noah Okafor, Wilfried Gnonto, and doubts over Ethan Ampadu and Pascal Struijk add pressure, but their expected points (12.8) suggest underperformance that could turn with sharper finishing. A win could push them six points clear of the drop zone, while a West Ham victory would close the gap to one point.
