LiontipsWest Ham vs Southampton. Prediction and Betting Tips for English Premier League (December 26, 2021).
Command Analysis
West Ham got off to a flying start in the new season but in recent matches they suffered a dip in form. In the League Cup, the Hammers had two impressive games, where they knocked out Manchester City and Manchester United, but lost to Tottenham 1-2 in the quarterfinal match.
David Moyes' men enjoyed a successful campaign in the Europa League. They won four out of six games and finished the group stage on top of their group.
In the Premier League, the Londoners played 17 games. They chalked up 28 points from eight victories and four draws. Currently, the Hammers are 5th in the standings. After beating Chelsea 3-2 at home, West Ham recorded a goalless draw with Burnley and suffered a 0-2 defeat to Arsenal in the last round.
The hosts will be without Zouma, Ogbonna, and Cresswell. Antonio has COVID and won't feature in this game either.
Southampton, on the other hand, endured a poor seeason. The Saints made it to the last 16 in the League Cup, but yielded to Chelsea in a penalty shootout.
As for the Premier League, Ralf Hasenhüttl's charges have played 17 games and won only three of them, and eight of the matches ended in draws. The Saints sit in 15th position in the league standings with 17 points to their name.
Southampton haven't won any of their last six Premier League games. They earned three points from three draws with Leicester City (2-2), Brighton (1-1) and Crystal Palace (2-2). The Saints' line of attack has been unimpressive with the team scoring only 16 goals in this season.
McCarthy, Forster, Armstrong, and Adams have been sidelined based on injuries.
Trends
СтавкаCorrect score 2:1
The hosts won 3 of the last 5 head-to-head games.
СтавкаCorners: total under 9.5
This bet played in 3 of West Ham's last 6 outings.
СтавкаGoals in both halves - yes
This bet won in 2 of the last 4 head-to-head games.
СтавкаYellow cards: total under 3.5
This bet played in 3 of West Ham's last 6 games.
Tip and bets
Despite the difference in league positions, this should be a close game. The hosts had been delivering great results, but lately they were inconsistent. The Saints definitely can cause West Ham problems, but nevertheless, we don't think they can eke a win in the upcoming game. Both sides have enough motivation, but the Hammers have the support of the stands and superior quality.
Our prediction - West Ham to win
We expect both teams to pay extra attention to their defenses. Neither West Ham, nor Southampton have been showing high attacking performance this year, so we suggest taking the total under.
Second bet - total under 2.5 goals
