Trio In Torment Over Relegation Cliff-Hanger
Nuno Espirito Santo is not the only man in East London for whom Wolves fans might be sparing a thought as the relegation trapdoor lurks beneath West Ham this weekend.
The drop that has seemed increasingly likely since Tottenham launched their improvement under Roberto Di Zerbi will open wide tomorrow unless the Premier League survival battle produces a dramatic final-day twist.
Hand in hand with the potential dent to the reputation of the Portuguese maestro is the blow that might be about to impact on the two former Wolves players in his squad.
Max Kilman, who, in May, 2019 made his Wolves senior debut with a one-minute appearance as a substitute in the 1-0 home over last weekend’s Molineux visitors, Fulham, has become something of a fringe figure at the London Stadium.
He hasn’t kicked a ball for them in the Premier League since late January, although he has totalled 25 outings this season and has been back on the subs’ bench in recent games.
His spell of relative inactivity is a far cry from 2023-24, when he and Arsenal’s William Saliba were the only outfield players to be on the pitch for their clubs in every minute of the top-flight season. And it was his earlier consistency as Wolves club captain that led to him joining The Hammers in July, 2024 for a reported £40m.
Kilman was recruited during the reign of Julen Lopetegui in the East End but his slide from prominence is still surprising considering Nuno said when they were working together at Wolves: “I just see him as a very good football player, a centre-half with quality.”
Adama Traore must be even more disappointed to have been denied the opportunity to make a bigger contribution after completing the short move from Fulham in January.
He hasn’t yet started in the League for West Ham, his nine top-flight appearances for them to date all coming as a sub. His only Hammers starts have been in the FA Cup.
Tomorrow’s home game against Leeds – the fixture the Hammers had seen as a possible escape route until their world fell in with the 3-1 defeat at Newcastle six days ago – will be their farewell to the Premier League if they draw or lose.
And even a victory would be insufficient to prolong their 14-year top-flight stay unless Spurs, having failed to guarantee their own safety in losing at Chelsea on Tuesday, are beaten by Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Tomorrow will also be an emotional day for Raul Jimenez, whose heart-warming reception from Wolves fans was one of the highlights of the game last weekend. He is leaving Fulham at the end of the season.