Wolves v West Ham preview

14 August 2009 10:32
// A bit of a hack but it works// The article snippet is wrapped onto a second line, even when #article-sub is emptyif( $("div#article-sub").children().length == 0 ) {$("div#article-sub").remove();} Wolves kick off their return to the Premier League with a home game against West Ham on Saturday.[LNB] Mick McCarthy's men claimed the Championship title at the end of last term and will now be looking to secure survival in their first top-flight campaign since 2003/4.[LNB]They have been tipped to struggle but the fixture list looks to have been fairly kind to Wolves for the early part of the season, and they will be targeting a fast start against West Ham.[LNB]McCarthy, who endured a nightmare spell in the Premier League as Sunderland boss, has strengthened his squad over the summer and a number of players could make their competitive debuts at Molineux.[LNB]Former Reading striker Kevin Doyle is likely to start on the substitutes' bench after recovering from a groin problem, while goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey (ankle) is also hoping to be fit.[LNB]Chris Iwelumo (foot) and Michael Kightly (hip and foot) are out, while defender Christophe Berra is also missing.[LNB]Berra is sidelined with a hamstring strain that he suffered during Scotland's 4-0 defeat in Norway on Wednesday, so on-loan Michael Mancienne should come in.[LNB]West Ham newsWest Ham will be keen to push on from last season's ninth-placed finish as they start their first full campaign under Gianfranco Zola.[LNB]Zola came in last September to replace Alan Curbishley and earned good reviews for the way he got the Hammers playing an attractive brand of football.[LNB]He has signed Luis Jimenez on loan from Inter Milan and the Chilean winger is set to line up against Wolves.[LNB]Kieron Dyer will be relishing the chance to show that he still possesses the pace and skill to frighten top-class defenders after an injury-plagued couple of years, and is set to support Carlton Cole in attack.[LNB]Luis Boa Morte is set to miss the first half of the season with a cruciate knee ligament injury, while Dean Ashton is still recovering from a serious ankle problem.[LNB]Possible starting XIsWolves: Hennessey, Foley, Mancienne, Stearman, Ward, Edwards, Henry, Milijas, Jarvis, Ebanks-Blake, Keogh.[LNB]West Ham: Green, Faubert, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga, Noble, Parker, Collison, Jimenez, Dyer, Cole.[LNB]

Source: SKY_Sports