Nuno Espirito Santo has urged fans to support the team ahead of planned protests as West Ham United host Brentford in a crucial Premier League derby in London on Monday.
The Hammers, 19th in the table, are looking for their first win in four games. A win would see them level on seven points with Brentford, who entered the match in 16th place after losing 1–0 to Manchester City in their previous outing.
The Hammers’ 2–0 defeat to Arsenal extended their winless run to four games, in which they lost three times and scored just twice.
New boss Nuno is yet to oversee a match in the Irons’ dugout as home manager, having opened two games at Everton and Arsenal respectively.
Their form at the London Stadium has also been poor this season, with West Ham losing all three games in front of their own supporters and conceding a total of ten goals.
“We haven’t changed anything specific, just implemented routines,” Nuno said.
“For me it is difficult to analyze what happened before. We want to improve and we know that the home form factor is important.
“I would like all our fans to join us and support us. It is up to us to give back to the fans so that they can grow close to us, make them support us and help us, so that we can change everything and become a fortress.”
Back with a smile pic.twitter.com/NoNHdc5J7u
— West Ham United (@WestHam) October 18, 2025
Brentford, meanwhile, should not be too 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 contenders.
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 equal their tally 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 season, although their tally – nine goals – is three fewer than last season.
“Every facet of the game we can improve. How connected we are as a team without the ball, how we press, communication, a lot of relationships – I talk about that a lot. It’s a new team,” Andrews said.
“It just takes some time. Whatever facet it is, I know we can and will improve. But because of the nature of the business, we want that to happen sooner rather than later.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
West Ham – Lucas Paqueta
Paqueta has already scored three goals in eight appearances for the Hammers in all competitions this season, including the club’s only league win to date, a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.
The playmaker is on the eve of his 100th Premier League appearance, which would make him the 30th Brazilian to reach this milestone. Brazil becomes the seventh country with 30 or more players to play 100 league matches, after England (475), France (59), 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 season, with only three players finding the back of the net more often than him this season.
His behavior was particularly clinical, scoring four of his six shots on target, with all four shots coming from inside the penalty area.
MATCH PREDICTION: Draw
West Ham have struggled in the London derbies this season, losing all four by an aggregate score of 12-2. Since September 2010, the Hammers have not succumbed to five consecutive defeats against compatriots from the capital.
But for the second time in their history, West Ham have lost each of their first three home games in a season, having done so last season. They have never started a season with four home defeats in a row.
Brentford have also struggled on the road, losing all three away games in the league this season. Last season they lost just three of their last fourteen away league games (winning seven and drawing four).
This upcoming match 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 and guided Forest to a 3-1 win over MD1. A win here would set a new Premier League record for the first time a manager has beaten the same opponent with two different clubs in a single season, both on date and matchday.
OPTA CHANCE OF WINNING
Westham – 36.0%
Draw – 26.1%
Brentford – 37.8%
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