West Ham’s depleted defence means Man Utd should beat Hammers again
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Premier League odds-on top four chances Manchester United (4/11) have won 11 of their last 12 top-flight fixtures with West Ham United, losing none, and have been defeated at Upton Park just once from their previous seven.
On top of those discouraging facts for Hammers fans, Sam Allardyce will be without key centre back pairing James Collins and Winston Reid, while target man Andy Carroll is a major doubt. Therefore, Coral rate Man Utd as the odds-on 19/20 favourites to beat West Ham again, which would incidentally be the Londoners’ 300th loss in the Premier League.
The Hammers, though, came close to upsetting the top flight titans this season at Old Trafford, but eventually lost 2-1, despite Wayne Rooney getting sent off just before the hour mark. In two of the last three head-to-heads between these teams at Upton Park in all competitions, the result has been 2-2, so if you fancy a draw again, take odds of 12/5, and 14/1 for that scoreline.
Before skipper Rooney, who has 10 goals in his last nine league games against West Ham, saw red last time out, he did manage grab an early opener. He is 15/8 to net again anytime, and 13/2 to strike first. Robin van Persie, who has six in his previous five against the Hammers, meanwhile, effectively got the winner that day, and the Dutchman is 5/4 in the anytime market.
Allardyce has enjoyed a decent season so far, though, and will be hoping he can guide the east end team to their first victory over Man Utd since 2007, where defensive duo Anton Ferdinand and Matthew Upson were on target.
Diafra Sakho, who nodded in the sole goal against the Red Devils this term, should start up front, and he is a 2/1 chance to score again anytime.
Carlton Cole and usual penalty taker Mark Noble both have strikes against United too, and are respective 7/2 and 7/2 chances to net again anytime.
With Man Utd’s odds being short for victory, take a longer price of 3/1 for them to win and both teams score. Louis van Gaal’s men managed to shut out QPR away last time out, and have not kept successive clean sheets on the road this term yet, which is why that bet is all the more enticing.
Michael Carrick is the Red Devils’ only absentee it seems, with Ashley Young a doubt. Radamel Falco is looking to return to the starting line-up, meanwhile, after being left out of his side’s 2-0 FA Cup replay win over Cambridge United in midweek.
