Prediction: AEK Larnaca vs West Ham

Prediction: West Ham United to win 2-0

Best Odds: 6/1

Bookmaker: Betfair

AEK Larnaca and West Ham United will face each other in the first leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League Round of 16 tie this week. The match between the Cypriot First Division club and the Premier League outfit will be held at the AEK Arena and is scheduled to kick off at 5:45pm UK time on Thursday evening.

AEK Larnaca

AEK Larnaca are a big club in Cyprus who have been doing well in recent years. They finished runners-up in the Cypriot First Division in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2022.

Jose Luis Oltra’s side were playing in the UEFA Europa League the season. They finished third in Group B with five points from six matches and got the better of Dnipro-1 in the UEFA Europa Conference League Knockout Round.

AEK Larnaca will head into the match against West Ham United on the back of a 3-1 win against Enosis at home in the Cypriot First Division. It came after a 2-1 loss at the hands of Apollon away from home in the league.

Team News:

Angel Garcia and Pere Pons are banned for picking up three yellow cards.

West Ham United

West Ham United are not having the best of seasons and have been dire in the Premier League. The Hammers are in real danger of getting relegated to the Championship at the end of the season. David Moyes’s side as low as 16th in the Premier League table at the moment with 23 points from 25 matches, just a point above the relegation zone.

The Hammers were hammered 4-0 by Brighton and Hove Albion away from home in the Premier League this past weekend. It followed a 3-1 defeat to Premier League rivals Manchester United away from home at Old Trafford in the fifth round of the FA Cup and came after a 4-0 victory over fellow relegation rivals Nottingham Forest at London Stadium in the Premier League.

West Ham, though, are doing extremely well in the UEFA Europa Conference League this season. The Hammers won all six of their Group B matches and finished top of the group with 18 points from six games.

Team News:

Michail Antonio, Thilo Kehrer and Maxwel Cornet will return to the West Ham United squad for Thursday’s UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16 first leg against AEK Larnaca. The trio all missed Saturday’s Premier League defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion. Defender Angelo Ogbonna is also available. Lukasz Fabianski is out due to a fractured cheekbone and eye socket, meaning that Alphonse Areola will start in goal for the Hammers.

Key Factors to Consider

• AEK Larnaca and West Ham United have never previously faced in any European competition.
• AEK Larnaca are unbeaten in their last four games in European competition.
• West Ham United have won all six games in the UEFA Conference League group stages this season.
• West Ham United have attempted 17 shots following high turnovers in the UEFA Conference League this season.
• Jarrod Bowen has scored 7 goals and given 2 assists in 33 matches for West Ham United so far this campaign.

Conclusion

Now, West Ham United are not having a good time in the Premier League, but they do have a better team than AEK Larnaca and should be able to win the first leg even though it is in Cyprus.

Prediction: West Ham United to win 2-0

Best Odds: 6/1

Bookmaker: Betfair