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West Ham United travel to Fulham for a London derby when the Premier League returns this weekend.
The Hammers endured a terrible record against the Cottagers last season, losing their two meetings by a combined 7-0 scoreline, which included a 5-0 thrashing at Craven Cottage.
Fulham have recovered well from their 1-0 opening-day loss to Manchester United, taking four points from games against Leicester City and Ipswich Town, either side of beating Birmingham City 2-0 away in the EFL Cup.
With all that in mind, it certainly won’t be an easy game for the Hammers.
West Ham to face problem at Craven Cottage?
Match Referee Tim Robinson checks for a possible penalty on the pitch side Video Assistant Referee screen during the Premier League match between West Ham United and AFC Bournemouth at London Stadium on February 01, 2024Tim Robinson has been confirmed by the Premier League as the referee for Saturday’s 3pm clash.
If the observations from Hammers.News are anything to go by, this could be a ‘big blow’ to West Ham’s chances.
Their report highlights some difficult moments for West Ham in games Robinson has been involved with.
That includes a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth in February in which Hammers.News accuse Robinson of failing to punish ‘persistent fouling’ from the Cherries, but coming down hard on every challenge made by a Hammers player.
Robinson was also on VAR duty as West Ham lost 2-0 at Nottingham Forest a couple of weeks later, with Hammers.News claiming he oversaw some ‘horrendous decisions’.
West Ham’s only win in three games under the charge of Robinson was 3-1 away at AFC Wimbledon in the EFL Cup back in 2018.
Ultimately, it’ll be up to West Ham’s players to prove they have what it takes to beat Fulham and given their summer spending and aspirations, they certainly shouldn’t be looking for help from officials.
But it’s clear that Robinson’s appointment as referee for the match hasn’t gone down well among their supporters.
