
West Ham United face Millwall this Saturday in the first meeting between the rivals in 14 years. Heading into the fixture, the Hammers sit in first place in the Championship following a strong rebound from a sluggish start to the campaign.
While they suffered a 3-2 defeat against Fulham in midweek League Cup action, their previous Championship match was a dominant 6-0 thrashing of Wrexham.
Hammers manager Nuno Espirito Santo acknowledged the intense environment awaiting his squad, pointing out that match outcomes are determined strictly by performance on the field rather than crowd sizes of 20,000 or 40,000. The Portuguese coach has called upon his seasoned veterans to guide the younger roster members through the emotional atmosphere, urging his group to welcome the derby's energy without letting it pull their attention away from the game.
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