The English Premier League continues this weekend, so take a look at our tips and predictions for the West Ham United vs. Leicester City match. With plenty of picks and markets to choose from, don’t waste your time and join the action at Get More Sports.
West Ham United vs. Leicester City
Three-Way: 1: West Ham +188; X: +250 Draw; 2: Leicester +185 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread 0: West Ham +104; Leicester -105
Total +2.5: Over +106; Under -105
WEST HAM UNITED
The Hammers are without a Premier League win in the previous five matches and the only victory they recorded in the past 40 days was the 3:2 one over Tottenham in the Carabao Cup. West Ham hierarchy decided to part ways with Slaven Bilic following a 1:4 home defeat to Liverpool and they appointed David Moyes as the new manager. The Scotsman didn’t have the best of debuts as the Hammers lost to Watford at Vicarage Road in the last Premier League game – it was 2:0 for the Hornets. Although West Ham deserved more from that tilt, the inability to defend well proved to be the defining factor in another loss and the former Everton gaffer will have to do a lot of work to stabilize his defensive line that has been rather leaky this season. The fact that even the league’s worst team Crystal Palace conceded a goal fewer than the Hammers is extremely concerning, and while the offense could do a lot better, defensive improvement is a must.
West Ham is currently in the 18th position on the standings with nine points, four behind the Foxes, and just four more than the last-placed Crystal Palace. This team was predicted to fight for the top half of the table and probably Europa League spot, but how the things are going at the moment, the only way for the Hammers to see European football next season is through the Carabao Cup where they reached quarter-finals. David Moyes will play his first game in front of the home crowd and is desperate to leave a positive impression after the last week loss, so I am sure he will find the right approach to motivate his players.
West Ham played 15 games so far in the 2017/18, recording five victories, three draws, and seven defeats, with a goal difference of 19:27, which is a bit over three goals per contest on average. They have three wins and three losses at London Stadium, but the Hammers allowed seven goals in the previous two home matches, scoring just one in return, and that rather discouraging prior to this tilt with Leicester. West Ham is without a win over the Foxes in the past six meetings, while Leicester won the previous two in London, scoring five goals in the process. With the way how both teams are playing at the moment, I expect to see plenty of action and goals on Friday.
The Ghanaian forward Andre Ayew is the team’s top scorer with five goals in 13 appearances, while Chicharito with four, and Diafra Sakho with three are following him on a goal-scoring chart. When it comes to the most creative individuals at London Stadium, Ayew, Manuel Lanzini, Arthur Masuaku, and Marko Arnautovic recorded a couple of assists to their respective names. Still, Moyes must demand more from the Austrian international Arnautovic who came as a big signing last summer but failed to impress, and only a pair of dishes is far from satisfying. The Argentinean playmaker Lanzini is also playing below expectations in this campaign, and the reason why the Hammers are struggling in the offense is Arnautovic’s and Lanzini‘s poor performances. David Moyes will be without Jose Fonte (malleolar), Sam Byram (thigh), and Chicharito (thigh), while Michail Antonio (chest), and James Collins (ankle) are listed as doubtful for this encounter.
LEICESTER CITY
The Foxes’ six-game unbeaten run ended last weekend as the current Premier League leaders Man City defeated them 2:0 at Kingdom Power Stadium, and it was Claude Puel’s first loss since he took over in late October. The Citizens dominated throughout the entire tilt, allowing just 25% of possession to Leicester, while the hosts attempted miserable two shots, none on target. Gabriel Jesus and Kevin de Bryne secured a victory for the visitors, while Jamie Vardy was isolated in the attack and lacked proper distribution thanks to magnificent defense from Man City. That loss left the Foxes in the 12th position in the Premier League with 13 points, but a potential win here could send them to the top half of the table.
Same as West Ham, Leicester managed to reach the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup with some nice displays and wins over Liverpool and Leeds United. However, they will face Man City on the road to Wembley, which will surely be the biggest test of the season and they must do better than in the league tilt. Puel’s side will try to exploit the fact that the Hammers are under a lot of pressure and even though they just appointed Moyes as a new manager, the fans are hoping for a change of fortunes, and I am positive that Moyes already feels a bit of heat underneath his feet. One way to get a win at London Stadium is to sit back and hit the hosts on the counter, something that Leicester is made for and it happens to be their playing style. That’s why I am anticipating plenty of goals on both ends, mostly because the Foxes’ defense also concedes a bunch of goals in the Premier League thus far.
Leicester City played 15 games in this campaign, recording six victories, four draws, and five losses, with a goal difference of 25:20, which is precisely three goals per contest on average. Considering West Ham’s goal difference and the number of goals per match, this one has a potential to be a high-scoring affair, especially given the past few H2H encounters. The Foxes suffered two defeats on the road, but they are undefeated in the last four visits, while Leicester recorded consecutive league wins at West Ham. They scored four goals in a previous couple of away matches, and I expect them to find the net behind Joe Hart’s back on this one as well.
The English international Jamie Vardy is the team’s leading scorer with six goals in 13 appearances, while Shinji Okazaki with five, and Islam Slimani with four are right behind Vardy on a goal-scoring table. The Algerian wizard Riyad Mahrez is the best assist-maker with five dishes, but he also contributed with three goals and is a player to watch for the visitors. Claude Puel cannot count on the centre-back Robert Huth who is still recovering from a malleolar injury and will be sidelined for the next three to four weeks. The midfielder Matty James is also out with an Achilles tendon issue, while Adrien Silva is suspended until January and will not feature here.
West Ham United vs. Leicester City – Match Prediction
West Ham simply cannot keep the clean sheet recently, while the Foxes are doing well in the attack, so I am pretty sure the visitors will score at least one goal at London Stadium. Luckily for the Hammers, Leicester’s defense is not reliable as well, so there will be plenty of opportunities for the hosts to bag a few goals.
MY PICK: Both teams to score YES (-120)
