West Ham United will give Fulham a rude awakening this weekend if the Cottagers get carried away by recording their first win of the season.
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That’s according to BBC Sport pundit Mark Lawrenson.
The Hammers welcome a Fulham side fresh from their maiden victory of the season – a 2-0 triumph over former West Ham boss Slaven Bilic’s West Brom – to the London Stadium.
Fulham buoyed but pundit fires warning about West Ham
The Cottagers have been steadily improving and were deserved winners over the Baggies.
West Ham meanwhile have defied all predictions by picking up eight points from – two less than they truly deserve – from one of the most daunting set of fixtures ever handed to a Premier League team at the start of a season.
It may not sound much. But coupled with a positive goal difference and a run of much easier fixtures – on paper at least – it sets West Ham up for what could be a very successful campaign.
And Liverpool legend Lawro has warned Fulham that West Ham will be an ‘entirely different proposition’ to West Brom this weekend as he backed the Hammers to win 2-0.
‘Hammers are a totally different proposition’
“West Ham were decent in defeat against Liverpool last time out but nothing short of a win will do for the Hammers here,” Lawrenson said in his weekly BBC Sport predictions column.
“Fulham got their first league win of the season on Monday.
“But West Ham are a totally different proposition to West Brom – or at least they should be.”
Lawrenson’s caveat at the end says everything about West Ham’s reputation over the years.
Moyes desperate to end West Ham’s ‘soft touch’ reputation
The Hammers are famous for turning up against the top teams only to lose to a so-called ‘lesser side’ the next game.
Fans will tell you that is the real West Ham way.
But David Moyes is desperate to change that reputation and make West Ham a feared and respected side home and away, much like he did with Everton.
The Scot says West Ham are often seen as a bit of a soft touch (Claret & Hugh). And he wants to put an end to that.
A good way to start would be by turning up in the games West Ham are expected to win, like Fulham.
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