QPR hold Hammers hope in crucial clash, while Palace host Hull
Relegation-threatened QPR have endured a tough season in the bottom half of the Premier League table, but Chris Ramsey’s men will aiming to capitalise on their London rivals West Ham United’s stuttering run of form and gain a vital three points.
Elsewhere, Hull City face a tricky visit to Selhurst Park, with Alan Pardew’s rejuvenated Crystal Palace having rallied to top-flight safety with four previous consecutive league victories before being overcome by West Bromwich Albion in their last outing.
QPR v West Ham
The hosts currently occupy 19th spot in the table, but are level on points with rock-bottom side Burnley and only ahead on goal difference.
Ramsey’s R’s are 7/2 with Coral to win and both teams to score, having won just one of their last eight league fixtures, but they managed a 3-3 away draw with fellow drop-battlers Aston Villa.
Sam Allardyce’s Hammers have ungracefully dropped to 10th position and are in danger of losing out on a top half finish, despite climbing into a Champions League place earlier in the current campaign.
The faltering Hammers are 7/4 to earn a victory on their travels to Loftus Road and will be quietly confident of securing three points, after doing so with a 2-0 triumph at Upton Park in the reverse fixture last October.
Diafro Sakho struck his side’s second and final goal in that comfortable home win and the Senegalese sharpshooter is a 6/1 chance to repeat his Hammers heroics on away soil this time out.
Clinical Charlie Austin is 5/1 to open proceedings for QPR and add to his 17 season strikes, with the in-form forward holding the key to his side’s bid to avoid the drop back to the Championship.
Crystal Palace v Hull
Pardew’s resurgent Eagles have become a challenging club to beat under the guidance the former Newcastle United coach, having soared to within a point of the top 10 sides.
The revived Palace outfit are 13/8 to win to nil, having secured victory in three of their previous four meetings with the Tigers.
Although, Steve Bruce’s strugglers managed a 2-0 triumph over their rivals at the KC Stadium last year and are 11/5 to complete a domestic double. The toothless Tigers are haplessly trying to claw their way to Premier League safety, but have failed to pick up a win since their win over QPR in February.
Hull will be without their record top-flight goalscorer Nikica Jelavic through injury, who scored in the reverse fixture, so astute attacker Abel Hernandez will need to be on top form for the visitors in order to gain some crucial points.
The Uruguayan forward is 2/1 to net anytime, while Palace poacher Glenn Murray is 5/1 to strike first, having already netted six ties in his previous seven outings since February.
