Premier League: Are Red Devils Set for a Hammer Blow?

West Ham United vs Manchester United

Eighth plays seventh in an East End Premier League bash on Saturday when Erik Ten Hag takes Manchester United to face West Ham United at the London Stadium.      

Former Red Devils boss David Moyes will prepare a warm welcome for his former employers, maybe a glass of mulled wine for his opposite number Erik Ten Hag after the game, but there will be no lack of focus when the 22 players cross the white line at 12.30pm UK time.

Both teams are in need of some Christmas cheer. West Ham come into the game on the back of a 5-1 hammering in the EFL Cup quarter final against Liverpool, though last weekend they had a thumping 3-0 league win at home to Wolves while the Red Devils fought hard for a 0-0 draw away to Liverpool.

Eastenders love a party and, if West Ham can do the business at the Saturday lunchtime meet, the celebrations will be loud and raucous. Manchester United really don’t need another headache!    

Talking Points

Inconsistent Hammers have Euro quality 

Moyes led West Ham to European glory last season and they are pushing in the right direction again this campaign, but their Premier League 2023 results have blown hot and cold. The impressive victory over Wolves lifted the Hammers to eighth in the table and just a single point behind the Red Devils. Before that win they secured qualification to the Europa League knockout phase with a 2-0 win over SC Freiburg, but either side of those two wins the Hammers shipped five goals, to Liverpool on Wednesday and in a 5-0 spanking at the hands of Fulham on December 10^th.

So which West Ham will turn up on Saturday?

Well, if we write off the loss to the Cottagers as a one-off, and put the defeat to Liverpool down to Moyes’ rotation policy we might expect to see the team which thrives in Europe to face the Red Devils. The West Ham boss rested Lucas Paqueta and Kurt Zouma for the Carabao clash and they will return to action for the visit of Manchester United. The Red Devils will face multiple threats, not least from England star Jarrod Bowen, who has scored ten goals in the league so far. Bowen bagged West Ham’s consolation in the 5-1 loss to Liverpool and he also scored in the win over Wolves, while the pace and skill of Mohammed Kudus, who scored two against Wolves and one against Freiburg will cause any defence problems.

Paqueta made three assists against Wolves and he is sure to return, while summer recruit James Ward-Prowse is always a threat with his world class dead ball delivery; the former Saints man has made five assists already this season.     

United looking for leaders

While the Hammers crave consistency there are bigger problems for their visitors.

This is a pretty turbulent time at Old Trafford and the Premier League 2023 betting odds have long since written off Manchester United’s title chances. Ten Hag is planning a clearout in January to try to improve the blend in his squad, root out some of the negative influences and to find players who will stand up for the club when they put on the famous red shirt.

The Red Devils have scored only 18 goals, just one more than 18^th placed Luton Town and while they fought hard to get a goalless draw against Liverpool I doubt they would have scored if they were still playing now!    

Top scorer with five goals, Scott McTominay, was handed the captain’s armband for the clash with Liverpool and he led with authority and passion for the job, and he is likely to retain that honour over the inconsistent Bruno Fernandes, who is still one of United’s most productive players with three goals and three assists.

They will need to fight hard again on Saturday, but the Manchester club has mounting problems in defence with the suspended Diogo Dalot sidelined, alongside the injured Lisandro Martinez; Victor Lindelof is likely to step in.    

History

With 39 wins to ten the Red Devils have enjoyed this fixture in the Premier League era but both games last year ended in a 1-0 victory for the home team, Said Benrahma scoring the only goal when the two teams met at the London Stadium last May.

Recent form favours the Hammers who have won four, drawn one and lost one of the last six games while their visitors are on a difficult run, with just one win, two draws and three defeats; and West Ham are unbeaten at home in six games.   

Betting Tip

With West Ham at SBOTOP odds of 2.34, Manchester United at 2.53 and the draw at 3.29 this is a game which could go any way and I think it will be a tight affair. If any team is likely to score more than one I’d say it’s the Hammers and, for a correct score line, a 2-1 home win is priced at 8.68.

 

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