Prediction: West Ham United vs Brighton

Verdict: West Ham win

Best Odds: 5/6

Bookmaker: Bet365

The Premier League returns this week with a Friday night game beginning a busy weekend of games. West Ham have been in better form lately, but they face a stern test in the form of Brighton, with both sides hovering over the relegation zone.

West Ham

West Ham should be a side that are battling in the the top-half of the table, but they are still languishing in the bottom-half, far too close for comfort to the relegation zone. They seem to be suffering from a similar problem as Everton, with both sides investing heavily in their squads, but struggling massively regardless. Last Saturday, the Hammers battled to a 1-1 draw with Burnley, which was a good point considering they lost Andy Carroll very early on in the game to two yellows. However, the pressure is still present around manager Slaven Bilic, with his side winning just two of their eight games this season, losing four and drawing the other two. What is equally worrying is the fact they have conceded 14 goals this campaign. With Joe Hart between the sticks, the fans thought they would see opposition teams score less, but Hart has been beaten by a number of efforts that he has had no chance with, as his defence has left him exposed on one too many occasions. For Bilic, the focus must be on tightening up his backline, with their strike force often unable to outscore their opponents because of how easy they find it to score.

Team News

James Collins, Diafra Sakho and Adrian are all doubts for the game, although Adrian is unlikely to feature anyway, and rumours that he will leave in January have surfaced as he has found Joe Hart difficult to displace. The real concern surrounds Javier Henandez, with the striker facing a late fitness test on a hamstring problem. Andy Carroll is banned for the game following his red card, meaning if Hernandez is missing, West Ham will be weak up front.

Brighton

It is proving to be a very good season so far for Brighton as they continue to impress in the Premier League. Two wins, two draws and four losses have seen the visitors to 14th place in the table and they actually have an almost identical record to West Ham, with Brighton ahead as they have scored two fewer goals, but conceded four less. For a newly promoted team, eight points from eight games is a solid start as they look to become a fixture in the league for years to come. Form-wise, they have been rather inconsistent, with two wins, two defeats and a draw in their last five games. However, they picked up a very good point against Everton in their last game, although they may be disappointed that they did not take all three points, with the Toffees scoring very late on. With Huddersfield and Newcastle on nine and 11 points respectively, Brighton are the lowest of the promoted sides, but they do not seem to be struggling as much as the likes of Everton, Leicester and Crystal Palace, who have been Premier League fixtures for a number of years. A win over the Hammers this evening would send morale skyrocketing, and they will suddenly believe that survival is well within their reach.

Team News

Steve Sidwell remains sidelined with a back injury and will not feature, while Shane Duffy faces a late fitness test on a groin strain, but he could still play.

Key Factors

West Ham have won both of their two Premier League games on a Friday night, beating Coventry and Tottenham 1-0.

West Ham have kept five clean sheets in their last seven home games.

Brighton are yet to win an away game in the Premier League or the cup this season.

The Seagulls have scored just one away goal all season.

West Ham have won by a scoreline of 1-0 in seven of their last nine games at the London Stadium.

Conclusion

Neither side has been in sparkling form this season, but West Ham are the team that are underachieving. Brighton will have taken heart from their draw with Everton last weekend, but the Hammers will fancy themselves at home with the crowd roaring them on. Expect this one to be won by a single goal.

Verdict: West Ham win

Best Odds: 5/6

Bookmaker: Bet365