Verdict: Both teams to score
Best Odds: 4/6
Bookmaker: Bet365
In a battle between two sides who find themselves in the midst of an extended rut, West Ham will welcome Championship outfit West Brom to the London Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
West Ham
Starting with the hosts, while West Ham may have opened David Moyes’ second tenure in East London with a thumping 4-0 victory over Bournemouth on New Year’s Day, the Hammers have once again come crashing back down to earth. Putting in what was a woeful first-half display and hit with a 4-1 hammering away at Leicester on Wednesday night, fans around the London Stadium now find only their goal difference stopping them from dropping into the bottom-three. With the mood in their camp reaching growing animosity, there is no doubt that the former Everton boss will be calling on his side to find some much-needed stability on home soil. Only snatching a point off of Everton and missing a string of chances last weekend, Saturday’s hosts have recorded just a sole victory at the London Stadium in their last eight attempts, a run that stems back to the 22nd of September.
Team News
West Ham have confirmed that winger Felipe Anderson will miss at least the next four weeks with a back injury picked up against Sheffield United.
The Hammers will also be unable to call upon the likes of Łukasz Fabiański, Andriy Yarmolenko, Jack Wilshere, and Robert Snodgrass.
David Moyes could be tempted to hand both Winston Reid and summer signing Albian Ajeti a rare start.
West Brom
As for the visitors, much like Saturday’s hosts, former West Ham boss Slaven Bilić finds his Baggies side enduring their own worrying rut. While fans around the Hawthorns might find their side somehow still holding onto their spot at the top of the Championship, West Brom were hit with a shock 1-0 defeat at home against relegation scrappers Stoke on Monday night. Enduring their most testing spell under their Croatian coach, the Baggies have won just one of their last seven matches across all competitions, a run that stems back to the 14th of December. While West Brom might have their sights set on securing a Premier League return this season, there is no doubt that Bilić will be concerned by his side’s continued issues at the back. Including shipping a pair of strikes away at Charlton last week, Saturday’s guests have recorded just a sole clean sheet over the past seven weeks.
Team News
The trio of Charlie Austin, Kenneth Zohore, and Kyle Edwards are all pushing for a recall this weekend.
Filip Krovinovic should feature in midfield, while Semi Ajayi is in line to come in for Ahmed Hegazi at centre-back.
Key Factors to Consider
- Three of the last four meetings between West Ham and West Brom have seen both teams find the net at full-time.
- Four of West Brom’s last five matches on the road have seen both teams find the net.
- West Ham have won just one of their last eight matches at the London Stadium.
- Seven of the Hammers’ last eight matches in East London have seen both teams find the net.
- Five of West Ham’s last six home matches have also seen over 2.5 goals at full-time.
Conclusion
In a battle between two sides who find the confidence in their camp at a low, Saturday’s matchup in East London should produce plenty of chances at both ends. With both West Ham and the Baggies showing some continued issues at the back, there is no doubt that both camps should see this as a golden chance to book their spot in the fifth round of this year’s FA Cup. With three of the last four meetings between the two sides seeing both teams find the net at full-time, we’re backing a similar outcome this weekend.
Verdict: Both teams to score
Best Odds: 4/6
Bookmaker: Bet365
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