Team news

West Ham preview
West Ham will be without striker Benni McCarthy for the visit of Hull.

The South African star, who signed for the Hammers on the last day of the January transfer window, has been out with a knee problem since West Ham's 2-1 defeat at Burnley on February 10.

Herita Ilunga (thigh) will remain sidelined for at least three more weeks while Danny Gabbidon and Kieron Dyer (both hamstring) are not ready to return.

West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola has been boosted by the return of Guillermo Franco from a muscle complaint which has kept him out for the last two months.

Zola insists there is a better atmosphere around the club since his public dispute with the Hammers' new owners.

Zola was furious a fortnight ago when he said that he would not be undermined following co-owner David Sullivan's criticism of the club's wage structure.

But they responded with a 2-0 home win over Birmingham in their last outing and the Italian now says the matter has been firmly put to bed.

"It's an old story which has been discussed too much," Zola said.

"There is a better atmosphere because there isn't so much talking or speculation now. That has helped the situation." Zola now accepts that the takeover of the club in January by former Birmingham co-owners Sullivan and David Gold has improved West Ham's chances of Premier League survival.

"They want to improve the situation financially and also as a team," he explained.

"We have not suffered any problems because they are looking after us. Nothing has changed. The new board came in and brought in three players to help us.

"The club are trying to make the situation better, that is important and we do not have a problem with that. I told the chairmen they can do what is necessary for the good of the club."

Hull preview
Hull manager Phil Brown may call on midfielder Jimmy Bullard for only the sixth time since his #5million move from Fulham.

The 31-year-old has returned to training after his latest knee injury, which saw him leave the field in tears at Aston Villa in December, and could be on the bench.

Brown will definitely be without another midfielder in Geovanni, who is still out with a knee problem, but George Boateng is available after his red card against Blackburn was rescinded.

Brown has told his players to use the memories of some of their Premier League highlights from last season as they look to end their away hoodoo.

The Tigers have yet to win on their travels this campaign and consequently find themselves only a point above the bottom three.

The Hammers are also on 24 points and victory at Upton Park would give Brown's side a valuable cushion as they look to avoid relegation for a second consecutive year.

He said: "With six (away) games to go we have to draw on what we actually picked up last year - a 2-1 win at the Emirates, a 1-0 win at White Hart Lane, a 2-1 win at Newcastle. Those are reference points to winning at this level.

"Everybody said our home form was the reason why we only just survived, this year it's the away form and we have to make sure the last six games we change that thought process." Hull have only picked up four points from their 13 away games this season and may be facing West Ham at the wrong time, with Zola's side coming off the back of a 2-0 victory against high-flying Birmingham.

Brown continued: "They'll be buoyed by the fact they've just had a tremendous win and he plays good football, Gianfranco.

"He's stuck by his principles and we know it's going to be a good game of football and it's up to us to make sure we join in.

West Ham vs Hull

Last modified 10:43 22/02/10

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The threat of relegation may finally be fading for West Ham as victory over Hull lifted the Hammers to 13th place – the highest they have been all season.

With new owners trying hard to knock the club into shape off the pitch, Gianfranco Zola’s team are pulling away from the danger zone.

Unbeaten now in their last five home Premier League games, the Hammers toyed yesterday with rivals Hull, who stand only one point above the bottom three.

Coming after the 2-0 win against Birmingham at Upton Park in midweek, this was the first time since March last year that West Ham have put ­together back-to-back ­victories.

“It was an excellent game for us,” said Zola. “We needed to set the tempo, and when there was a little bit of doubt in the game, it was because we ­allowed those doubts.”

But, with visits to ­Manchester United, ­Chelsea and Arsenal to come, the West Ham boss refused to concede that a ­corner had been turned.

“There are some massive games coming up,” he added. “We have to stay focused.”

West Ham go to Old ­Trafford on Tuesday with Zola thinking about ­“refreshing” his team. “But we’re going there to ­battle,” he warned Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.

The home fans, ­reminded by the stadium announcer before kick-off just how important this game was to West Ham’s hopes of avoiding relegation, could not have wished for a better start.

Pouncing on a loose ball some 30 yards out, Valon ­Behrami drove hard into the penalty area. Guillermo ­Franco’s touch was a bit heavy as they played a one-two, but the ball still ran perfectly for Behrami to slot it home.

A goal up in little more than three minutes, West Ham went looking for more. Behrami could have had a hat-trick ­inside the first half-hour as Hull were swamped by the Hammers’ attacking fervour.

Only goalkeeper Boaz ­Myhill kept the visitors afloat. Not long after beating away ­Behrami’s thunderbolt after the midfielder had robbed Andy Dawson, Myhill ­somehow contorted himself to claw aside Behrami’s far-post header from ­Alessandro ­Diamanti’s cross.

This was all on top of the scrambling save Myhill made to keep out a free-kick that Diamanti had swerved at him in the first minute. So ­desperate did Hull’s ­defending become, referee Martin ­Atkinson had to halt the match after 19 minutes to lecture players from both sides.

The visitors did not get into the game until shortly before the interval. They might have equalised, too, when George Boateng chested down a ­clearance and shot powerfully, but Robert Green tipped the ball over at full stretch.

Nobody could quite believe that Hull, strangely passive for most of the match, still had a chance of winning in the ­second half. That all changed when Craig Fagan was sent off eight minutes after the break.

Booked in that frantic first half for a foul on Scott Parker, Fagan was shown a second yellow for bringing down ­Diamanti. Departing with a volley of abuse at one of the assistant referees, Fagan could only watch as his depleted team went 2-0 behind.

Carlton Cole’s goal came courtesy of a superb through- ball from Julien Faubert. It left Anthony Gardner struggling and allowed Cole to slip the ball past Myhill.

Faubert rounded it all off in stoppage-time by ­advancing down the right and sending a right-footer screaming into the far top corner.

Hull boss Phil Brown said: “The performance was self-inflicted. What we did in the first ­couple of minutes was inexcusable and ­inexplicable as well.

“One-nil down in two minutes gave us a mountain to climb. But we steadied the ship to certain extent, and then there was more self-inflicted damage with the red card.”