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This defeat marks another humiliating chapter in a torrid season for West Ham, raising major doubts about the future of their manager. The Hammers became the first team to lose to Wolves in this campaign, enabling the Midlands side to double their league points and lift their aspirations of evading the tag in the record books as the worst team in Premier League history.

Dominant First-Half Performance Seals Historic Triumph

Fewer than the first four minutes of the match, Wolves managed to give the impression of finding some resolve. The lively Hwang Hee-chan offered a glimpse of his rejuvenated form with a long run before laying on an assist following neat combination play with Mateus Mané. The resulting cut-back found an unmarked Jhon Arias, who tapped in from point-blank range to give Wolves a home lead for the first time since early October. Energy could be felt both on the field and in the terraces, a sight for much of the term.

Facing a team terribly out of form and missing key player Lucas Paquetá through injury, this represented the home side's clearest chance for a victory this season. At first unnerved by taking the lead, Wolves opted to protect it doggedly, falling deep with eleven players behind the ball early on.

Generous Guests Compound Their Own Problems

West Ham were generous visitors, contributing to their own demise. First, former Wolves captain Max Kilman failed to make a simple clearance from a cross, letting Mané to intervene, before being brought down by Soungoutou Magassa in the box. The teenage midfielder, once of Rochdale, emerged as the most influential man on the pitch. Hwang took responsibility to convert the resulting spot-kick, doubling the lead. Tongue-in-cheek chants of "We will win the league" echoed around Molineux.

Short on confidence and ideas, West Ham were drifting out of the game even with dominating the ball, managing just a solitary attempt in the first half.

The visitors' frustrations were compounded shortly before halftime. The confident Mané, a youngster among trepidatious senior players, spun exquisitely, cut in from the left, and fired a driven effort into the bottom corner from 18 yards for his maiden senior goal. Finally, the home fans were enjoying themselves.

Ineffective Second-Half Response

With nothing to lose, manager Nuno made a double change at the interval and switched to a more attacking 3-4-3 shape. However, star attacker Jarrod Bowen remained quiet, and even introduction of Crysencio Summerville failed to generate the required spark.

A persistent sense of anxiety still affected Wolves' decision-making, uncertain whether to hoof the ball long or build patiently. But, they need not have been concerned against such meek resistance. West Ham's own failings were increasingly obvious as they created very little of note in the final third.

Crucial Matches On the Horizon

In the end, Wolves were the only side likely of adding to the scoreline, and West Ham will be thankful the damage was not greater. Focus now shifts to a critical Tuesday encounter at home to relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest, a match vital in the battle for top-flight survival. On this evidence, West Ham have cause to be afraid.