West Ham v Leicester. Watch the accompanying video.https://youtu.be/YZ-ttGCCfTw
- West Ham United enter Thursday night’s clash against Leicester City riding high after a shock 1-0 victory at Arsenal, a result that ended a four-game winless streak. That win lifted them 13 points clear of the relegation zone and provided a much-needed confidence boost ahead of this key fixture. While safety isn’t yet mathematically secured, another win here would further ease any lingering fears of being dragged into a survival battle.
- Graham Potter’s side has an excellent record against newly promoted teams, winning 11 of their last 14 Premier League meetings with such sides (D2, L1). However, the one blemish on that record came in December’s reverse fixture, where Leicester secured a 3-1 victory in Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first game in charge. West Ham’s home form remains inconsistent, having lost seven of their 13 home games (W4, D2), making this a potentially tricky test.
- Leicester, meanwhile, are in freefall. Their 3-1 win over West Ham in December is one of just four league victories all season (D5, L17), and with just four points gained since then (W1, D1, L10), they find themselves five points from safety. A 4-0 thrashing at Brentford last Friday only compounded their woes, and their fragile defense remains a huge concern. They’ve conceded 59 goals this season—more than any other Premier League side apart from bottom-placed Southampton.
- Players to Watch
- Jarrod Bowen (West Ham) – The Hammers’ top scorer this season with seven goals, Bowen has been instrumental in key moments, netting three opening goals.
- Tomás Soucek (West Ham) – Another key contributor with five goals, three of which were the first goals of matches.
- Jamie Vardy (Leicester) – The Foxes’ biggest goal threat, having scored seven times, including two match-opening strikes.
- Facundo Buonanotte (Leicester) – A fiery presence in midfield, with six of his seven yellow cards this season coming after the 60th minute.
- Key Stats
- Leicester have failed to keep a clean sheet in 22 consecutive games.
- Leicester have conceded 2+ goals in 20 league matches this season.
- West Ham have won just one of their last five Premier League home games.
- Leicester have lost six consecutive home matches.
- Leicester have conceded the opening goal in 21 of their 26 matches.
- Leicester’s defense is particularly vulnerable early in games, conceding a league-high 14 goals between the 16th and 30th minute.
- There have been 3+ goals scored in each of Leicester’s last 8 away matches.
- At least one first-half goal has been scored in 81% of Leicester’s league games this season.
- Betting Predictions
- Over 2.5 Goals? ? Yes – Leicester’s defensive struggles and their recent track record of high-scoring away matches suggest this will likely exceed the 2.5-goal mark.
- Both Teams to Score? ? Yes – West Ham’s inconsistency at the back and Leicester’s ability to score in nine of their 12 away matches make BTTS a strong possibility.
- Goal Before Half-Time? ? Yes – Given Leicester’s habit of conceding early, coupled with the fact that at least one first-half goal has been scored in 81% of their games, expect an early breakthrough.
- Leicester’s defensive issues make it hard to see them keeping West Ham at bay, while the Hammers will be eager to capitalize on their momentum. Expect a high-scoring affair, with the home side having the upper hand.