Fortune Finally Shows Up: West Ham 4–2 Wolves

The pre-match foreboding has delivered its usual result (me getting it wrong), although this time it came wrapped in a six-goal thriller that was considerably more chaotic and generous than logic had any right to expect.

The opening exchanges were spent watching Wolves threaten to ruin the evening early, with the Hammers looking second best and extremely fortunate not to be trailing inside the first twenty minutes.

Having survived the initial storm, Fortune finally decided to emerge from hiding in the 33rd minute. Divine Mukasa produced a moment of genuine quality, striking a fabulous effort beyond José Sá to give West Ham a lead that, if we're being brutally honest, felt entirely unearned.

The universe wasn't finished handing out gifts just yet.

Less than ten minutes later, a somewhat generous penalty decision went the way of the home side, allowing Jarrod Bowen to step up in the 42nd minute and calmly slot home. Two goals up and seemingly comfortable? Naturally, this is strictly against company policy.

Some shambolic defending just before the break allowed Marshall Munetsi to pull one back in the 44th minute, ensuring the halftime tea was served with the familiar side order of anxiety.

The second half followed much the same script, with Wolves probing for an equaliser and looking increasingly likely to find one.

Step forward Mukasa once again.

The youngster settled a few collective heart rates in the 53rd minute, grabbing his second of the night to restore West Ham's two-goal advantage and send the London Stadium into something resembling celebration rather than survival mode.

Then, in the 64th minute, Konstantinos Mavropanos reignited his personal love affair with this fixture, powering home West Ham's fourth.

At 4–1, surely we could finally relax?

Of course not.

Five minutes later, Mavropanos inadvertently turned the ball into his own net, because apparently even a three-goal lead was considered dangerously comfortable.

That ensured the final twenty minutes were played out with the usual nervous energy, but this time the anxiety never quite tipped into catastrophe.

The final whistle eventually arrived with West Ham celebrating a glorious 4–2 victory, three points safely in the bag and, for once, Fortune refusing to remain hidden for the entire evening.

A chaotic night, a questionable penalty, some questionable defending, two goals from Mukasa and six goals for the entertainment department.

I'll take that.