The season's two suprise packages West Ham and Swansea meet at Upton Park on Sunday.

What a season West Ham are having, as they sit 5th in the League just outside a Champions League place. They have steadied the ship a bit after winning back to back against Newcastle at home and West Brom away in the last week, following a run where they had gone three without a win.

Sam Allardyce's side showed a lot of character on Tuesday to beat West Brom at the Hawthorns after they had fallen behind early thanks to a Craig Dawson goal. However, strikes from Kevin Nolan and James Tomkins turned things around for the Hammers who will go third with another win on Sunday.

The depth of their squad has been a big testament to their success, especially in attacking areas with Valencia and Sakho missing for a couple of games, but the team scoring goals in other areas. Andy Carrol being back to full fitness is another blessing of course.

Swansea are also enjoying the high life this season as they sit three places and two points behind the Hammers in eighth. In the last week they have been held by Crystal Palace to a 1-1 and have beaten QPR 2-0 with both games coming at the Liberty Stadium.

For a while it looked like it would be two home games and no wins in the space of a couple of days as QPR goalkeeper Robert Green was in inspired form in midweek. However late goals from Ki and Wayne Routledge did manage to secure a routine win for Gary Monk's side.

Away form has been the only real disappointment for the South Wales outfit this season as they have not won on their League travels since that famous 2-1 victory at Old Trafford back on the opening day.

Team News 

West Ham seem set to get hot scoring Diafra Sakho and Marquee loan star Alex Song back from short term injury while the game will come too soon for Mark Noble who has a claf problem.

Left back Neil Taylor is suspended for this game after picking up his 5th booking of the season leaving Gary Monk with no natural left sided defender in the squad with Dwight Tiendali likely to fill in. The game is too soon for Federico Fernandez at the back because of a calf injury.

Stats

Swansea have not won at West Ham in their last 18 visits in all competitions.

Of all first choice goalkeepers in the League, Lukas Fabianski has the best saves to shots ratio of 75%.

None of West Ham's last five league goals have come from strikers. 

VAVEL Logo
About the author
Jamie Joslyn
20 year old sports journalism at Sunderland University, huge Sunderland fan