Friday 30 March 2018 14:23, UK
West Ham will be hoping to lift the mood at the London Stadium when they face Southampton on Saturday.
West Ham's last home game, a 3-0 defeat by Burnley, was marred by pitch invasions and protests against owners David Sullivan and David Gold.
The Hammers are set to implement "heightened" security measures this weekend in a bid to avoid similar troubles.
West Ham have lost four of their last five Premier League matches and are 17th in the table, two points above Southampton, who occupy the final spot in the relegation zone.
Mark Hughes will be taking charge of his first league match as Southampton manager, having started with an FA Cup quarter-final win over Wigan.
"It's a key game for both sides," he said. "West Ham have their own problems to deal with, it seems, with their home games so we have got to take the opportunity, if it presents itself, to be able to exert pressure on them and maybe affect the atmosphere in the ground and what seemed to occur against Burnley.
"We've got to affect the confidence of their group. Clearly there is some anxiety surrounding the club at the moment.
"That's a negative and it certainly affected them in the last game, going by what some of their players talked about afterwards."
Charlie Austin is in contention for Southampton after recovering from the hamstring injury which had kept him out since Christmas.
Captain Steven Davis is also close to returning from his hamstring problem.
Edimilson Fernandes is available again for West Ham after four months out with an ankle injury. Arthur Masuaku is also back after completing a six-match ban.
However, Manuel Lanzini is a doubt with a knee injury and James Collins faces a late fitness test.
West Ham haven't lost back to back home league matches against Southampton since April 1992 - they lost 3-0 at London Stadium last season.
The Saints haven't completed a league double over the Hammers since the 1997-98 campaign.
Since winning 3-0 at London Stadium last season, Southampton have lost five of their six Premier League trips to London (W1).
West Ham have lost their last three league games, each by a margin of at least three goals. The last English top-flight side to lose four in a row by such a margin were Nottingham Forest back in April 1968.
Saints have won only two away games in the Premier League this season, with both of those wins coming against the side who were bottom of the table at the time (Crystal Palace in September and West Brom in February).
Mark Hughes will take charge of his sixth different Premier League club in this match, making him only the second person to manage six different clubs in the competition (after Sam Allardyce with seven).
I think this is a 30-minute football match. If West Ham aren't winning after 30 minutes, I can't see how they win this with how it is at the stadium, I think it will be toxic. West Ham got well beat last time out against Burnley, who aren't even free scoring, but won 3-0 and slaughtered them. I'm worried for West Ham and the fans are good at reuniting and getting right behind their team, but it's an ageing side with not a lot of pace so I worry about them.
For Southampton, I like Mark Hughes and he's a good manager. He's one of those that can win six out of nine or lose eight out of eight and I think here, they have to make sure they don't lose this game. Like I said, it's a 30-minute football match and if they're not losing after half an hour, I can't see how Southampton don't get a result.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-2 (9/1 with Sky Bet)
