Football
Manchester City vs West Ham Preview: Tips, Odds and Prediction
Venue: Etihad Stadium Time: 4pm SportsBoom previews Manchester City vs West Ham at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, January 4th. Premier League betting fans will be looking forward to this one as City look to continue where they left off against Leicester City by securing a consecutive win against the Hammers. Be sure to have a look at our detailed in-depth preview of this match
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Erling Haaland scores his team's second goal//Getty Images
Manchester City vs West Ham: City Looking for a Good String of Results
West Ham travel to Manchester to play the surprise strugglers in the Premier league this season. The first round of this fixture earlier on in the season was an emphatic win for Pep and his troops, with Haaland scoring all three goals in their 3-1 win.
Since then, the defending champions have surprisingly struggled and with nineteen games played so far, they find themselves in fifth position. West Ham themselves have not had a smooth campaign, with wins coming in sporadically in between draws and losses.
City will be looking to string together a good string of results against a team they have dominated with five out five wins in their last encounters. The last time they were beaten by West Ham in the Premier League was in 2015.
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability
Home 8/25 (1.32) 75.8%
Draw 5/1 (6.0) 16.7%
Away 33/5 (7.6) 13.2%
*Odds courtesy of Bettilt, subject to change
Head-to-Head record
This is a fixture City has dominated over the years as West Ham have not been able to get a look in for a victory for years now. All of the home team’s wins against the Hammers were convincing in the last five outings, with fourteen goals scored and only three conceded.
Last 5 Meetings
31/08/24 West Ham 1 Manchester City 3
19/05/24 Manchester City 3 West Ham 1
16/09/23 West Ham 1 Manchester City 3
03/05/23 Manchester City 3 West Ham 0
07/08/22 West Ham 0 Manchester City 2
Manchester City Current Form – WDLLD
Looking at their last five runs, it’s hard to fathom that City have only won four points from a recent win against Leicester City and a draw against Crystal Palace. Pep’s team has not done well considering the quality they have in their squad and a win against a lowly Leicester who are joint worst defensive team with Wolves is not a good indicator of a change in form but a much needed morale booster.
Phil Foden celebrating scoring his team's first goal with teammates//Getty Images
Key Players to Watch
- Savinho: A goal and an assist last time out against Leicester will have him coming in this one with a lot of confidence, and he’s therefore one player to look out for playing from the right flank, cutting in with those shots and crucial crosses.
- Bernardo Silva: Contributes defensively and in attack, Silva is one of the few senior players who have raised their hands during City’s poor run of form. He will be key in this game and will most probably assist once or score.
- Kevin De Bruyne: Was benched against Everton but given a start in their most recent win against Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s team. The Belgian’s influence in the team goes without saying, and if he can produce the same performance, he will be a threat to their opponents.
Manchester City News
A number of clubs are interested in acquiring the signature of forward James McAtee ahead of the January transfer window, while Real Madrid are said to be considering the signing of Gvardiol. Several players with niggling injuries in the likes of Jack Grealish, Kyle Walker and John Stones are expected to back and fit for this one.
West Ham Current Form – LWDDW
Despite the drubbing they got at the hands of Arne Slot’s men, Julien Lopetegui’s men have done well recently with eight points won in their last five. We shouldn’t read much into a loss to what seems like the best team currently in the Premier League. Their form heading to the Etihad is good and that loss might probably spur them on to a better result having noted their defensive frailties against Liverpool.
Key Players to Watch
- Lucas Paqueta: The battle will be in midfield and Paqueta’s combination with the returning Soucek is something worth noting. The Brazilian’s composure on the ball and passing prowess will serve his team well on the day.
- Alphonse Areola: If they can keep City out, then they might just force a favorable result and this is where Alphonse Areola will come in handy. He will prove to be the difference if he has a good run out.
- Tomas Soucek: His presence was missed last time out in the 5-0 hammering they got at the hands of Liverpool. Soucek’s role in midfield will be very critical against the best midfielders football has to offer in Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne.
West Ham News
Number one goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski was substituted in the 36th minute in their 1-0 away win against Southampton with a head injury and he’s not expected to make it back on time for this game. Tomas Soucek and Guido Rodriguez will be returning from one match suspensions for an accumulation of yellow cards.
Predicted Line-ups
Manchester City: 4-2-3-1
Ortega, Lewis, Akanji, Gvardiol, Ake, Kovacic, Silva, Doku, Foden, Savinho, Haaland
West Ham: 4-2-3-1
Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Todibo, Emerson, Soucek, Alvarez, Kudus, Paqueta, Bowen, Fullkrug
Suggested Bets
If you don’t have penchant for high risk bets with big odds and prefer slips with several bets, then you can pick all three of our suggested bets with any other bets of your own.
Both Teams to Score – Yes: Guardiola’s team is low on confidence and seem not to be able to keep a clean sheet with a makeshift backline that has conceded in their four last Premier League games. 1-1, 2-1,-2-1 and 2-2 against Everton, Aston Villa, Manchester United and Crystal Palace. Against an attack bolstered by the likes of Kudus, conceding is very possible, therefore, a both teams to score market is highly likely. (71/100 with BC.Game).
First Goal – Manchester City: City scored first in four of their last five encounters against the Hammers and will repeat this feat again despite their poor form. Very good odds on this bet, be sure to not miss out on it. (31/100 with BC.Game).
West Ham United Total – Over 0.5: Despite home team advantage, City’s form informs us that they will concede at least one goal in this game. At the time of writing, they had let in seven at home in five games. (3/5 with BC.Game).
Value Bets
Have a look at our value bets, with these bets you can maximize your potential returns by placing just one bet on any of the markets below with high stakes.
Any Time Goalscorer – Bernardo Silva: Silva last scored in their 1-1 draw with Evaton, that’s the game preceding their 2-0 win against Leicester City and he’s a midfielder that’s always in the last third of the pitch getting clear chances at scoring. On a given day, if he takes his chances well, he can score against any team. (7/2 with 888Starz).
First Goal Time – From 11 to 20 Min: This interval has a very high scoring rate generally, as it is a period where the game is in full swing and players on both teams are in proper motion. In West Ham’s last five games, this market did not result, but it did in several of Manchester City’s, owing to them generally coming out the blocks quicker. (33/10 with 888Starz).
Both Halves to Be Won By Different Teams – Yes: With City’s shaky nature recently of conceding or losing the game when leading, the chances of West Ham winning a half themselves are very high. In their recent 2-1 losses to Aston Villa and Manchester United, both of those two teams won a half. (23/5 with 888Starz).
Prediction: Manchester City Win and Over 1.5 Goals
Our overall prediction for this encounter is a Manchester City win despite their not so pleasing form. Their historical edge over West Ham will see them over the finish line with more than one goal scored in the game.
Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Jimmy holds a Diploma in Journalism and Media Studies. He’s a passionate sports enthusiast with broad knowledge across various disciplines.
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