Nuno to worry as official Premier League announcement for Fulham rings in West Ham first
Nuno Espirito Santo may have some worries ahead of facing Fulham as he looks to keep West Ham in the Premier League.
The Hammers were on the end of both misfortune and fortune over the weekend, as they conceded four deflected efforts against Liverpool in a 5-2 defeat.
West Ham’s performance was not reflective of that scoreline, and a closer affair would have been a better portrayal.
However, the loss did not affect much in the battle to survive, as five of the bottom six fell to defeat, besides last-placed Wolves.
This leaves the East London club in the same position, and there is still plenty to fight for in the battle to survive.
Now, there could be more concern ahead of facing Fulham due to the Premier League’s appointment for the referee.
Referee Matt Donohue appointed for West Ham vs Fulham – set for career first
Matt Donohue is set to take charge when Fulham travel to London Stadium on Wednesday evening, with the referee to be joined by Tim Wood and Wade Smith as his linesmen, as per the Premier League.
Additionally, John Brooks will be on VAR duties with Alex Chilowicz assisting at Stockley Park.
Unfortunately for Hammers fans, there is nothing to look back on with Donohue and how he officiates West Ham games.
That is because Wednesday evening will be the first match he will referee involving the Irons.
| Statistic | Total |
| Games | 4 |
| Fouls per game | 29 |
| Fouls per tackle | 1.13 |
| Yellow cards | 22 |
| Red cards | 0 |
However, he has refereed four Premier League matches throughout his career, and he appears to be quite strict.
On average, he dishes out 5.5 yellow cards per game and has awarded three penalties in those five matches.
Why Nuno could worry about Matt Donohue vs Fulham
While there is nothing to look back on regarding the Hammers, Nuno will have some concerns based on Fulham’s record.
Wednesday evening’s opponents have been involved in four games with Donohue as referee, and they hold a 100 per cent record.
In three of those games, the Cottagers have scored three or more goals, offering a bad omen for the Portuguese manager.
Hopefully, Donohue’s first West Ham game can put an end to that win streak, as three points is absolutely vital based on the upcoming fixtures.
This could be Nuno’s best opportunity to get a win over the next couple of weeks, as West Ham face Man City and Aston Villa in the Premier League next after Fulham.
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