Match ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, West Ham United 0.
Raul Jimenez says he "knew from the first moment" he would recover from a "difficult part of his life" after scoring the only goal in Wolves' win over West Ham on Saturday.
Striker Jimenez, who spent eight months on the sidelines after fracturing his skull in a league game at Arsenal last season, swept Daniel Podence's cut-back into the corner from the edge of the box to lift Bruno Lage's side up to sixth in the table - and end the Hammers' four-game winning run in the Premier League.
"I knew I'd be back, and I'm here," said the 30-year-old. "I'm enjoying what I'm doing with the team and the club. I'm really happy to be back."
Wolves dominated proceedings after a slow start and created numerous opportunities to take a first-half lead - the best of which fell to Jimenez, who dragged a tame effort wide with only West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski to beat.
Kurt Zouma had the ball in the net for the Hammers, but the centre-back's header was disallowed for a foul on Romain Saiss.
Michail Antonio and Jarrod Bowen blazed over in the second half as the visitors sought a route back into the game, but David Moyes will be bitterly disappointed with his team's below-par performance.
Max Kilman should have ended West Ham's hopes of salvaging a point when he fired Rayan Ait-Nouri's free-kick delivery over the crossbar with three minutes remaining.
"We knew we were beaten in the last match [at Crystal Palace], so this was a good opportunity today to bounce back," added Jimenez.
"We're fighting as a team and as a family. This is how we have to keep going."
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Wolves too strong for toothless Hammers
Their recent 2-0 defeat by Crystal Palace notwithstanding, Wolves have been improving steadily under Lage since losing their opening three league games of the campaign.
Indeed, only leaders Chelsea and in-form Arsenal have picked up more points than Lage's team since they were beaten by Manchester United at Molineux at the end of August.
They were content to soak up the Hammers' pressure early on but grew into the game as the first half went on. Ruben Neves tested Fabianski from distance before Nelson Semedo shot wide of the near post from Ait-Nouri's cross.
Jimenez should have put the hosts into the lead moments later after latching onto an exquisite Neves pass, but failed to hit the target after attempting to dink the ball over the onrushing Fabianski.
The pattern of play continued early in the second half, with the lively Podence forcing the Hammers' goalkeeper into two terrific saves - one from a low shot towards the far corner and another from a looping strike from the edge of the penalty area.
Jimenez eventually got the goal the hosts' enterprising play deserved as Wolves recorded three successive top-flight victories for the first time since 1980.
It all started so well for West Ham, who were crisp in possession in the early stages and tested Jose Sa through Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek.
They faded as the game wore on, though, managing just one further shot on target - from captain Declan Rice in the second half.
A fifth successive victory would have equalled the club's top-flight record, but it was not to be.
Player of the match
JiménezRaúl Jiménez
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Avg
- Squad number9Player nameJiménezAverage rating
7.83
- Squad number37Player nameTraoréAverage rating
7.51
- Squad number8Player nameRúben NevesAverage rating
7.41
- Squad number10Player nameDaniel PodenceAverage rating
7.16
- Squad number22Player nameNélson SemedoAverage rating
7.13
- Squad number28Player nameJoão MoutinhoAverage rating
7.12
- Squad number26Player nameHwang Hee-chanAverage rating
7.07
- Squad number23Player nameKilmanAverage rating
7.07
- Squad number32Player nameDendonckerAverage rating
7.03
- Squad number16Player nameCoadyAverage rating
6.99
- Squad number3Player nameAït-NouriAverage rating
6.87
- Squad number27Player nameSaïssAverage rating
6.82
- Squad number1Player nameJosé SáAverage rating
6.71
West Ham United
Avg
- Squad number1Player nameFabianskiAverage rating
6.69
- Squad number41Player nameRiceAverage rating
6.66
- Squad number22Player nameBenrahmaAverage rating
6.56
- Squad number20Player nameBowenAverage rating
6.42
- Squad number3Player nameCresswellAverage rating
6.40
- Squad number9Player nameAntonioAverage rating
6.36
- Squad number31Player nameJohnsonAverage rating
6.35
- Squad number4Player nameZoumaAverage rating
6.28
- Squad number28Player nameSoucekAverage rating
6.25
- Squad number15Player nameDawsonAverage rating
6.21
- Squad number8Player nameFornalsAverage rating
6.10
- Squad number10Player nameLanziniAverage rating
4.99
- Squad number7Player nameYarmolenkoAverage rating
4.77
- Squad number11Player nameVlasicAverage rating
4.58
Line-ups
Wolves
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Sá
- 23Kilman
- 16Coady
- 27Saïss
- 22Nélson Semedo
- 8NevesBooked at 54mins
- 28João Moutinho
- 3Aït-Nouri
- 10PodenceSubstituted forTraoréat 76'minutes
- 26Hwang Hee-chanSubstituted forDendonckerat 87'minutes
- 9Jiménez
Substitutes
- 2Hoever
- 5Marçal
- 11Machado Trincão
- 15Boly
- 17Fábio Silva
- 21Ruddy
- 32Dendoncker
- 37Traoré
- 39Cundle
West Ham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Fabianski
- 31Johnson
- 15Dawson
- 4Zouma
- 3Cresswell
- 28Soucek
- 41RiceBooked at 86mins
- 20BowenSubstituted forYarmolenkoat 71'minutes
- 22BenrahmaSubstituted forVlasicat 71'minutes
- 8FornalsSubstituted forLanziniat 59'minutes
- 9Antonio
Substitutes
- 5Coufal
- 7Yarmolenko
- 10Lanzini
- 11Vlasic
- 13Areola
- 16Noble
- 23Diop
- 26Masuaku
- 33Král
- Referee:
- Mike Dean
- Attendance:
- 30,667
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home52%
- Away48%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away3
- Corners
- Home7
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home6
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, West Ham United 0.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Adama Traoré (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Romain Saïss.
Post update
Maximilian Kilman (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Nikola Vlasic (West Ham United).
Post update
Attempt missed. Maximilian Kilman (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Rayan Aït-Nouri with a cross following a set piece situation.
Substitution
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Leander Dendoncker replaces Hwang Hee-Chan.
Booking
Declan Rice (West Ham United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Nélson Semedo (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Declan Rice (West Ham United).
Post update
Foul by Maximilian Kilman (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
Post update
Michail Antonio (West Ham United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Romain Saïss (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
Post update
Tomas Soucek (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Raúl Jiménez (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Craig Dawson (West Ham United).
Post update
Foul by Nélson Semedo (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
Post update
Nikola Vlasic (West Ham United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Andriy Yarmolenko (West Ham United) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Michail Antonio.
Substitution
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Adama Traoré replaces Daniel Podence.
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Comments
Join the conversation
Not remotely interested.
We’ll done Wolves, was worried about this one, West Ham are flying.
Well done Wolves.
We go again. COYI
World Class player.
Forever Gold!!