When you are fighting for your lives, you simply have to beat a team widely tipped to go down as the worst in Premier League history.
That West Ham were reduced to rubble by rock-bottom Wolves raised serious questions over their ability to beat the drop – and worse still, their stomach for the fight.
A quite shocking first-half surrender allowed Rob Edwards’ men to steamroller their way into a 3-0 lead, leaving the Hammers looking like the division’s no-hopers.
From Nuno Espirito Santo’s men there was no fight, no invention – in a nutshell, no hope. This was as bad as it gets.
And perhaps the bitterest pill to swallow for the 3,000 travelling fans was that defeat came as no real surprise.
They watched on in horror during a first half which saw Wolves tear into tackles and rip a notoriously fragile defence to shreds.
Wolves won for the first time this season as they beat a dismal West Ham 3-0 at home
It was the Hammers who looked like the worst team in the league and they are staring at the prospect of relegation
Nuno, whose side fail to register a shot on target, said: ‘We need to change many things and it’s not about words.
‘Today is a tough day for everybody and we needed much more from our players.
‘The way we started and the way we performed was embarrassing.
‘I don’t recall one day that I felt as bad on a football pitch as today.’
There was no fluke about this result. Wolves were much the better side as they won their first Premier League game since last April – and their first at the 20th time of asking this season.
Goals from Jhon Arias, Hee Chan Wang and 18-year-old Mateus Mane were the least they deserved and, while Wolves surely remain relegation certainties, on this evidence they will go down fighting.
Edwards, who finally won his first game since taking charge, smiled: ‘It feels good and it’s probably a bit of relief.
‘It’s only one win but we should enjoy it because we’re building, progressing and getting better.
Hwang Hee-chan netted from the penalty spot in a rampant first-half from the home side
The Hammers remain four points adrift of safety with 20 games already played this season
‘Sometimes you think “thank God for that” and I probably feel a bit like that at the moment.’
West Ham, though, are sinking fast after their winless run stretched to nine games and left Nuno staring at the dismal prospect of relegation.
The Portuguese was lauded by the Molineux faithful who will never forget the job he did here.
‘Nuno is a Wolves fan, Nuno is a Wolves fan,’ was the chant from the jubilant home stands.
Wolves have been beyond shambolic for so much of this season, but maybe the penny has finally dropped that they cannot go down as the worst team in Premier League history.
That indignity belongs to Derby County and their pitiful 11-point haul during the 2007-08 season.
Before kick-off, Edwards pointed to a Hammers side struggling for confidence and instructed his men to expose them.
The message was heeded, as Wanderers soon led through Arias’ close-range strike.
Hwang Hee-Chan, who tormented West Ham from the off, broke clear down the left flank before showing intelligence to cross low across the six-yard box.
Arias arrived at pace ahead of West Ham’s statuesque defenders to slam the ball home for his first goal for the club.
That sparked wild celebrations among the home faithful while Edwards roared manically as he embraced his coaching staff at pitchside.
Aside from a few flashes from Crysencio Summerville, there was next to nothing from Nuno’s men.
Shortly after the half-hour mark came another knife in the side of a Hammers side who simply cannot defend.
Ex-Wolves defender Max Kilman failed to clear and the ball fell invitingly to Mané, who was deemed to have been fouled inside the box by Soungoutou Magassa.
After a VAR check, Hwang stepped up to confidently convert from 12 yards to leave the home supporters bouncing.
‘Let’s all have a disco!’ they chanted joyously.
Wolves almost grabbed a third when Alphonse Areola produced a stunning save with his foot to keep out Tolu Arokodare’s close-range header.
Wanderers were cruising it, much to the disgust of Hammers fans who could scarcely believe what they were witnessing.
A third home goal soon arrived when Mane was afforded the time and space to strike a low right-foot shot from 18 yards past Areola.
Nuno hooked Freddie Potts and Magassa at the break and that helped to stem the bleeding for the visitors.
Then again, they could hardly have got much worse after the opening 45 minutes.
Wolves continued to threaten as half-chances came and went which came to nothing. It did not matter.
The sight of hundreds of Hammers fans marching out of Molineux long before the end said everything.
Meanwhile, Wolves’ long-suffering supporters milked the victory for everything it was worth, even jokingly singing ‘we’re gonna win the league.’
Little wonder Nuno stormed straight down the tunnel at the final whistle.
Then again, his side had just been taken to the cleaners.
