Is Amorim’s team closing in on the top?
Manchester United made a real statement at the weekend with a 2-1 away win at Crystal Palace. It was also the hoped-for response to the previous 0-1 home defeat against a shorthanded Everton FC. In their home game against WHU, coach Ruben Amorim’s team is now determined to follow up and finally catch up with the Champions League places again.
Although MUFC has ten more points to its credit and is ten places higher in the table before the start of this 14th matchday, Thursday evening’s task is by no means a foregone conclusion. Anyone who still wants to bet on the English record champions in the Manchester United vs. West Ham match should combine a home win with under goals at best in order to get higher odds.
The visitors from London are well below their own expectations so far and are just above the relegation zone, level on points with the first relegation spot. Since Nuno Espirito Santo took over at the end of September, the results have only improved slightly. Even under last year’s successful Nottingham Forest coach, there have been four defeats in eight competitive games. One of those was at home against Liverpool FC on Sunday (0-2). To make matters worse, key player Lucas Paqueta picked up a yellow-red card and will be suspended on Thursday evening.
To make matters worse, the Hammers have been waiting for a win on the road since the end of August. Under Espirito Santo, there have been two draws and two defeats in four PL away games. However, after conceding at least two goals in six of their last seven PL matches, the capital club’s approach must be to be even more solid defensively. I believe that this will be successful against a moody ManUtd offense, in that a prediction of under 3.5 goals will ultimately pay off in the Manchester United vs. West Ham match.
The fact that I prefer the under bet to a potential three-way tip on the hosts definitely has something to do with the Manchester United vs. West Ham odds on offer. In any case, there is no value to be found in the 1.47 odds on a home win! Especially when you consider that the (deeply) sleeping giant, under their Portuguese head coach Amorim, has won just eight of 19 PL home games at the Theater of Dreams. In contrast, they have suffered nine (!) defeats.
They are only tenth in the home table. Also interesting: in four of MUFC’s six PL home games, there were no more than three goals. This also supports my assumption that fans will not see an extravagant goal fest at the end of the week’s fixtures.
Manchester United – West Ham Head-to-head comparison / H2H record
West Ham United can look back on very successful encounters in recent years. The Londoners have actually won four of the last five head-to-head matches. Last season, the Irons won both home and away games against Manchester United.
After 16 winless trips to the Theater of Dreams, they even managed to storm Old Trafford with a 2-0 victory. For the first time since 1934, WHU could now win two away games in a row against the record champions.
Manchester United – West Ham Tip
For almost three years, MUFC fans have cursed the month of December. Why? Because their favorite team has lost nine of its last 14 PL games in December. They will be looking to improve that record on Thursday evening.
At home against West Ham United, the seventh-placed team is the clear favorite, but this can be called into question given their obligatory inconsistency. If you bet on Amorim’s team, then only in a match combo with under goals to increase the odds and lower the stake.
In my opinion, however, the Manchester United vs. West Ham tip for under 3.5 goals is even more interesting. In four of the Red Devils’ six PL home games, a maximum of three goals were scored. WHU desperately needs to stabilize defensively, but they didn’t set the world alight offensively at home against Liverpool either. I therefore think a maximum of three goals in the game is a good bet at odds of 1.61. My stake is seven fictitious units.
