West Ham will face former manager Sam Allardyce and West Brom in the Premier League on Tuesday evening at London stadium
After a strong 1-0 win against Burnley on Saturday, David Moyes and his team will prepare to face the relegation-threatened Baggies knowing that a win could take them to within two points of the top four and five points off current league leaders Manchester United.
The Hammers go into this game in good form, unbeaten in our last five games and winning the last three. We have also kept four clean sheets in as many matches to go up to 9th in the league table – five points behind 4th placed Liverpool.
We will go up against ex-West Ham manager Sam Allardyce, who spent four years at the club between 2011-2015.
Since being appointed manager of West Brom last month he has won one game out of six, which came in a 3-2 win against Wolves last weekend.
West Ham go into this match having won only one game against the Baggies in our last five appearances. Our latest result was a 1-0 fourth round FA Cup loss last season.
However, West Ham now have more quality and team camaraderie now to earn a comfortable win against Big Sam and his team.
“We’re in a decent run at this moment in time but I don’t take any of it for granted,” David Moyes said in a press conference on Monday.
“I want more of the same attitude the players are showing. Their commitment has been brilliant in all the games.
“Round the training ground, round the club, they’ve been brilliant, and you can see it on the field. Long may that continue.”
𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱. pic.twitter.com/H7lUCxmiXP
— West Ham United (@WestHam) January 17, 2021
Team news
As we head into our three-game week, David Moyes will be wary of the fitness of the squad following a hectic festive period. The team has only had three days to rest and recover ahead of Tuesday evening’s game.
West Ham’s main concern is whether Michail Antonio will start or not. After playing 90 minutes and grabbing a goal on Saturday, Moyes will be careful not to rush him into playing too much too soon after missing over two months with a hamstring injury.
However, without his services up top, West Ham will have to rely on uncapped 18-year-old Mipo Odubeko. While the future star has great potential, his inexperience may cost us in a must-win game against West Brom.
Moyes may choose to adapt the formation to accommodate Antonio’s fitness. Either Yarmolenko or Odubeko could replace the striker or we may see a ‘false 9’ role implemented, with Jarrod Bowen or Said Benrahma filling in as centre forward.
There are no new injury concerns leading up to the match. Arthur Masuaku is the only long-term absentee in the squad with a knee injury, while Fabian Balbuena is the other doubtful player ahead of West Brom.
Prediction
West Ham 2 – 1 West Brom
With West Ham’s run of form at the moment, we can expect David Moyes and the team to go into this game full of confidence.
West Ham have created plenty of chances in recent weeks and should even be finishing games with a bigger scoreline. It should also help that West Brom have the worst defensive record in the league, having conceded 41 goals so far this season.
Consistency is key going into the second half of the season. Karma has been known to have come back to bite West Ham before, as we prepare to face former Hammer’s Robert Snodgrass and Big Sam – with Grady Diangana out injured.
However, this is a must-win game ahead of busy few weeks, and is most certainly one we can come away with three points from.
Three points here will ensure we’re still within touching distance of the chasing pack in a very competitive top-ten of the Premier League, and it’ll be a huge statement of intent from David Moyes and his side after going into the season as candidates for the drop back in September.
