Two Premier League matches will take place on Sunday. The first sees West Ham welcoming Everton to East London. Both clubs know each other well and are in control. Frank Lampard, Everton’s former manager, started his career at West Ham. He then moved to London to be a Chelsea legend. David Moyes, West Ham’s manager, had 13 great years with Everton.
The Premier League will be divided when the two sides meet on Sunday. Everton is fighting for survival and is at risk of losing the top flight, which they have been part of since 1954. Although West Ham might be outsiders in the race to a Champions League and top-four spot, they still have a chance. If not, they should qualify for Europa League.
Recent history of the teams
West Ham United
This game is overshadowed by the Europa League. West Ham will face Lyon in the quarterfinals of the current campaign, with the first leg scheduled for next week. They feel special playing in Europe, and their fans are starting to believe that this is their moment. They won a 2-0 victory over Sevilla’s talented side before the international break. Although the performance was spectacular and there were many celebrations, the team faced Tottenham Hotspur the next week. They looked exhausted from all the drama.
David Moyes set West Ham up as usual in the 4-2-3-1. He was relatively healthy with only Angelo Ogbonna and Vladimir Kuffar missing. Jarrod Bowen is expected to return, which will be a big boost for Lyon’s game. However, I would prefer to see him on the bench. The squad’s core will likely remain the same with Declan Rice, who is a world-class player, and Tomasz Sawcek in the middle. Moyes has remained true to his team selections throughout the season. However, you have to wonder if this will cause problems for them when they are involved in key games like the one against Lyon.
Everton
Everton will not have Allan (who was sent off against Newcastle) but they will have Dominic Calvert Lewin at the front. This will be crucial for their hopes in this match and the Premier League. It is unclear who will be Abdoulaye Doucoure’s partner in midfield support. Donny van den Beek has been suggested as the choice. Many United fans are shocked that the Dutchman hasn’t performed well since joining Everton.
Everton is in an unusual position. Although the metrics show that Everton has done worse under Lampard than Benitez’s leadership, the former is much more beloved by the fans and brings a unique emotional edge to their home performances.
Match Analysis
Although the advantage at Goodison Park might be enough to keep them going, it is unlikely that they will overcome their away form. The Hammers are now focusing on home defense. It’s easy to forgive them for their 3-1 loss at Tottenham. They lost it less than 72 hours after playing extra time in the second leg to their Europa League Round 16 victory over Sevilla stalwarts La Liga.
All this being said, it is worth betting on the home team via a money line. Even if Everton did score a goal, it’s amazing that the Toffees managed to score twice in this match. The Toffees conceded multiple goals in each league game this season.
Prediction and recommendation
West Ham is the better team, but Lyon’s Europa League game against Lyon worries me. Last time out, the players were slow in the first period against Tottenham and I worry that they will be focusing on the upcoming game in the Europa League. It is a huge match in club history. These are great players and great managers. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were to lose that game. They are a great team with a great manager, but I don’t like to bet on them at -134 odds.
Instead, I am backing a draw as Everton will ultimately need it more than West Ham. I hope their performances reflect that. Although Everton has had some disappointing performances over the past two months, there have been some glimmers of hope. They won with 10 men against Newcastle and lost to Manchester City 1-0. In that match, they were outstanding and should have received a penalty. Although I don’t think Everton will win, a draw seems good at this price.
Pick: Under 2.5 goals
