Nuno urges fans to back West Ham amid planned protests

Nuno Espirito Santo has urged fans to back the team ahead of planned protests, as West Ham United host Brentford in a crucial Premier League London derby on Monday. 

The Hammers, 19th in the table, are searching for their first win in four games. A victory would see them draw level on seven points with Brentford, who come into the match in 16th place after a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in their previous outing.

The Hammers' 2-0 loss to Arsenal last time out extended their winless run to four matches, during which they have lost three times and scored only twice.

New boss Nuno is yet to oversee a game in the Irons' dugout as the home manager, with his opening two games away at Everton and Arsenal, respectively.

Their form at London Stadium has also been poor this term, with West Ham losing all three of their matches in front of their own supporters and conceding 10 goals in total.

"We haven't changed anything specific, just implementing routines," Nuno said.

"For me, it's hard to analyse what's happened before. We want to improve, and we know the home form factor is important.

"I wish all our fans will join us and support us. It's up to us to give back to the fans so they can grow close to us, make them support us and help us so we can change everything and become a fortress."

Brentford, meanwhile, should not be overly discouraged by their defeat to Pep Guardiola's side, where they were undone by Erling Haaland's brilliance, as they were otherwise competitive against the title hopefuls. 

Manager Keith Andrews will note that his side are just three points behind their tally at the same stage last season and a win would match their total after eight games in 2024-25.

The Bees have conceded nine goals in the current campaign, slightly better than the 13 they allowed in the first seven games under Thomas Frank last term, though their scoring — nine goals — is three fewer than last season.

"Every facet of the game we can improve on. How connected we are as a team without the ball, how we press, communication, a lot of relationships - I speak about that a lot. It is a new team," Andrews said.

"It just takes a bit of time. Whatever facet it is, I know we can, and will, improve. But because of the nature of the business we want it to be sooner rather than later."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

West Ham – Lucas Paqueta

Paqueta has netted three goals in eight appearances for the Hammers already this term across all competitions, including in the club's only league victory of the campaign so far – a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest.

The playmaker is on the verge of his 100th Premier League appearance, which would make him the 30th Brazilian to reach the milestone. Brazil will become the seventh nation to have 30 or more players achieve 100 league appearances, following England (475), France (59), Republic of Ireland (56), Scotland (53), Wales (42), and Spain (40).

Brentford – Igor Thiago

From one Brazilian to another, Thiago has been in goalscoring form of late. The forward has scored four goals for Andrews' side in the Premier League this term, with only three players finding the back of the net more times than him so far this season.

He has been particularly clinical, having scored four of his six shots on target, with all four of those coming from inside the box.

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

West Ham have struggled in their London derbies this season, losing all four by a combined score of 12-2. The Hammers have not succumbed to five straight league defeats against fellow sides from the capital since September 2010.

But for only the second time in their history, West Ham have lost each of their first three home league games in a season, having also done so last term. They have never begun a campaign with four consecutive home defeats.

Brentford have also struggled on the road, losing all three of their away league matches this season. Last term, they lost just three of their final 14 away league games (winning seven and drawing four).

This upcoming fixture marks only the third time in Premier League history that a team with zero home points will host a team with zero away points after both sides have played at least three home or away games in a season.

In both previous cases, the visiting team won: Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Everton in September 1999, and Everton 1-2 Luton Town in September 2023.

West Ham boss Nuno has already beaten Brentford this season, guiding Forest to a 3-1 victory on MD1. A win here would set a new Premier League record for the earliest a manager has beaten the same opponent with two different clubs in a single season, by both date and matchday.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

West Ham – 36.0%

Draw – 26.1%

Brentford – 37.8%