WEST HAM UNITED v WEST BROMWICH ALBION
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
WEDNESDAY 10 NOVEMBER 2010
KICK-OFF: 7.45PM
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Introduction
• West Ham United take on Midlands opposition for the third time this season looking to build on Saturday's match at Birmingham City. The Hammers drew 2-2 at St. Andrews and could have won but for a late penalty shout being denied. Previously, Avram Grant's men were also unlucky at Wolverhampton Wanderers on 16 October, drawing 1-1 but seeing Frederic Piquionne denied a last-gasp winner because of a wrong handball decision.
• This is the 75th league meeting between the two sides. West Brom have won 33, West Ham have won 30 and there have been eleven draws.
• West Brom have not scored on their previous two visits to the Boleyn Ground and are looking for a first win in east London since 2002 when Jason Roberts scored the only goal.
• West Ham's biggest home win against West Brom was a 6-1 success on 16 April 1965, while the Baggies' best performance at the Boleyn Ground was a 5-1 triumph on 7 November 1931
• Two of Nigeria's FIFA World Cup strikers could be going head to head with the Hammers' Victor Obinna and the Baggies' Peter Odemwingie likely to be on view.
Team news
West Ham United
• Manager Avram Grant is definitely without Thomas Hitzlsperger (thigh) and Jack Collison (knee). Collison is hoping to return around the turn of the year, Hitzlsperger has a February comeback date having had surgery on his torn muscle.
• Mark Noble was ruled out for a month after having his appendix removed a week ago last Monday. Tal Ben Haim has been sidelined with a foot injury while Junior Stanislas is battling to overcome a groin problem.
• Robert Green and Scott Parker will both hope to maintain their ever-present records this season in the Barclays Premier League. Green is on a run of 137 consecutive league starts for the club.
• Manu da Costa has been working hard to overcome an ankle injury that kept him out of the Birmingham match.
• Julien Faubert will serve the second match of a three-game suspension for his red card in the reserves at Arsenal last month.
West Bromwich Albion
• West Brom are without DR Congo midfielder Youssuf Mulumbu, after his red card at the weekend. Gonzalo Jara will be serving the second game of his two-match suspension following his dismissal at Blackpool a week ago.
• Jonas Olsson is out with an injured achilles, while there are doubts over Nicky Shorey (ankle), Steven Reid (achilles) and James Morrison (knee)
Last time out
West Ham United
• West Ham United were pegged back to a 2-2 draw by by Birmingham City on Saturday. Goals early in the second half from Frederic Piquionne and Valon Behrami put the Hammers in a commanding position, only for Cameron Jerome and Liam Ridgewell to earn the Blues a point.
6 November 2010
Barclays Premier League
Birmingham City 2-2 West Ham United
West Ham United: Green, Gabbidon, Jacobsen, Upson, Ilunga, Parker, Behrami, Boa Morte (Dyer 83), Piquionne, Cole, Obinna (Kovac 89)
Subs not used: Stech, Reid, Tomkins, Barrera, McCarthy
West Bromwich Albion
• West Brom were beaten at home by big-spending Manchester City on Sunday. Mario Balotelli's two goals in quick succession midway through the first half settled the contest. To make matters worse for the Baggies, Youssuf Mulumbu was sent off in the closing stages
7 November 2010
Barclays Premier League
West Bromwich Albion 0-2 Manchester City
West Bromwich Albion: Carson, Ibanez, Cech (Barnes 60) , Tamas, Shorey, Thomas, Scharner (Miller 81) , Brunt, Mulumbu (sent off 82), Fortune (Odemwingie 60), Cox
Subs not used: Myhill, Dorrans, Reid, Tchoyi
Last meeting
West Ham United were held to a goalless draw in a tense relegation battle at the Boleyn back on 16 March 2009. The point would eventually help the Hammers to beat the drop but West Brom were to be relegated at the end of the season.
West Ham United: Green, Neill, Tomkins, Upson (Spector 29), Ilunga, Noble (Boa Morte 82), Kovac, Parker, Savio (Stanislas 68) , Di Michele, Sears
Subs not used: Lastuvka, Lopez, Tristan, Payne
West Bromwich Albion: Carson, Zuiverloon, Martis, Olsson, Robinson, Morrison (Teixeira 88), Koren, Dorrans, Greening, Brunt (Simpson 80), Fortune (Moore 80)
Subs not used: Kiely, Hoefkens, Cech, Bednar
Head to head
Last six meetings (Premier League unless stated)
16 March 2009 West Ham United 0-0 West Bromwich Albion
13 September 2008 West Bromwich Albion 3-2 West Ham United
1 May 2006 West Bromwich Albion 0-1 West Ham United
5 November 2005 West Ham United 1-0 West Bromwich Albion
6 December 2003 (Championship) West Bromwich Albion 1-1 West Ham United
8 November 2003 (Championship) West Ham United 3-4 West Bromwich Albion
Overall record v West Bromwich Albion (all competitions) W 35 D 17 L 37
Ten-year league records
West Ham United
2009/10 Premier League 17th (35 points)
2008/09 Premier League 9th (51 points)
2007/08 Premier League 10th (49 points)
2006/07 Premier League 15th (41 points)
2005/06 Premier League 9th (55 points)
2004/05 Championship 6th (73 points - promoted to Premier League via play-offs)
2003/04 Championship 4th (74 points)
2002/03 Premier League 18th (42 points - relegated to Championship)
2001/02 Premier League 7th (53 points)
2000/01 Premier League 15th (42 points)
West Bromwich Albion
2009/10 Championship 2nd (91 points, promoted to Premier League)
2008/09 Premier League 20th (32 points, relegated to Championship)
2007/08 Championship 1st (81 points, promoted to Premier League)
2006/07 Championship 4th (76 points)
2005/06 Premier League 19th (30 points, relegated to Championship)
2004/05 Premier League17th (34 points)
2003/04 Championship 2nd (86 points, promoted to Premier League)
2002/03 Premier League 19th (26 points, relegated to Championship)
2001/02 Championship 2nd (89 points, promoted to Premier League)
2000/01 Championship 6th (74 points)
Background
West Ham United
• Scott Parker and Freddie Piquionne are West Ham's leading scorers this season with four goals. Parker has scored twice each in the Barclays Premier League and the Carling Cup, while Piquionne has three in the top-flight and one in the cup.
• Danny Gabbidon's yellow card against Fulham on 2 October was the quickest caution given to a top-flight player this season. It came after just one minute and 25 seconds.
• The Hammers ended a run of eleven games without scoring more than once in a Barclays Premier League contest at Birmingham on Saturday - the longest run in the top-flight. It is 22 games since the Hammers won by more than one goal.
• West Ham have now gone 24 league games without an away win and 23 matches since winning by more than one goal at home or away.
• West Bromwich Albion
• Scott Carson and Chris Brunt are the only players who can make it a dozen starts this season - and maintain an ever-present place in the Baggies first eleven. Youssuf Mulumbu was on eleven starts but is suspended after his red card at home to Manchester City on Saturday
• West Brom have two players in the Barclays Premier League top ten assists table - with Chris Brunt on six and Jerome Thomas on four.
• Peter Odemwingie is the club's leading league scorer with three goals to his name since his summer arrival.
• The Baggies are on a run of 43 matches since being involved in a goalless draw, 13 ahead of their nearest rival Stoke City.
Referee
• Wednesday's referee is Mike Dean, who took charge of the Hammers' opening-day 3-0 defeat at Aston Villa.
• Dean began refereeing in 1985, starting out his career in senior football in the Northern Premier League.
• In 2004, Dean took charge of his first international match, a friendly between the Netherlands and Republic of Ireland at Amsterdam Arena. That same year, he took control of the FA Community Shield between Arsenal and Manchester United.
• In May 2006, he refereed the Championship play-off final between Leeds United and Watford at the Millennium Stadium. In 2008, he was the man-in-the-middle for the FA Cup final between Portsmouth and Cardiff City at Wembley Stadium.
Old boys
• West Ham defender Danny Gabbidon started his career with West Brom, making 27 league and cup appearances between August 1998 and September 2000.
• Among the other players who have represented both clubs are David Cross, Gary Strodder, Tommy Green, Vincent Hayes, Geoff Hurst, Thomas Kinsell, Tudor Martin, Nigel Quashie and Chippy Simmons
Next up
• Avram Grant's side welcome Blackpool to the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 13 November for a 3pm kick-off.
• West Brom travel to Everton on Saturday, with kick-off at 3pm.
Travel information
• For directions to the Boleyn Ground, click here.
General information
• For ticket information, click here
• The weather forecast for Wednesday night is for a chilly evening, with temperatures around the 5C mark.