West Ham vs Arsenal Prediction, Odds, Picks | Premier League Match Preview
(Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images) Pictured: Alphonse Areola
West Ham vs Arsenal Odds
| West Ham Odds | +500 |
| Arsenal Odds | -188 |
| Draw | +333 |
| Over / Under | 2.5 -150 /+115 |
David Moyes and West Ham will be looking to find some form in this match. That will be no easy task as they will be hosting Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, who are coming off a massive 3-1 victory over Liverpool.
Despite not having the prettiest of season's up to this point, West Ham still find themselves seventh in the Premier League, with a chance to break into the top six with a win here. However, the Hammers haven't won a match since December 28th, when they beat … Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates.
Arsenal is third in the Premier League, behind only Liverpool and Manchester City. A win in this match could potentially take them to the top of the league if both Liverpool and City drop points. After a shaky December, Arsenal have now won each of their past three matches, scoring 10 goals and conceding just twice.
Let's get into our West Ham vs. Arsenal prediction.
West Ham
West Ham haven't been the most flashy or impressive side in the league this year, but they have been consistent. They have picked up 19 points at home and 17 points on the road this season. They have scored 36 goals and conceded 36 goals. And over their past five matches, they have picked up six points.
Moyes has given the Hammers a sense of stability that they were previously lacking. Even though they haven't played very well throughout this season, they have found ways to pick up points. The four standout players for the Hammers have been Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paquetá, Mohammed Kudus and Alphonse Areola.
Bowen has scored 11 goals, Kudus has six goals playing out wide and behind the striker, Paquetá has two goals and five assists, and is also the creative force. He is able to take people on and create space unlike anyone else at Moyes' disposal. Unfortunately, he hasn't played in the league since their 2-0 win at the Emirates. He will be injured for this match as well, creating a massive hole in the midfield.
Areola has been the unsung hero for the Hammers this season. West Ham have conceded the seventh-fewest goals in the league and Areola is the one to thank for that. He has saved just over four expected goals this season. West Ham's expected goal difference is -7, but thanks to Areola — as well as to the finishing quality of Bowen — West Ham have been a thorn in the side of a lot of teams.
Moyes will likely try to sit back and absorb as much pressure as possible from Arsenal. This is how the Hammers prefer to play and the speed and directness of Bowen and Kudus is the only way I can see West Ham breaking through against Arsenal's effective defense.
Arsenal
Arsenal, over the past two weeksm have started to look like the Arsenal of last season. They have had impressive wins over Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool. However, they will be without a few players who may influence this match.
Arsenal's strength comes from the fact that they are able to control the match. Their players have so much quality on the ball and in tight areas that they are able to set the pace and determine how they want to break down the opposition. This quality on the ball and in possession is why they have only conceded 22 goals this season, the lowest total in the Premier League.
Another reason they are so good defensively is the fact that when they lose possession and are being countered on, they have William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes there to clean up the mess.
The outcome of this match will depend on Saliba and Magalhaes being on top of their game. An in form Saliba is arguably the best center back in the Premier League and will be able to stop West Ham's attack. However, the last time these sides matched up, we saw that Arsenal can be beaten at the back.
West Ham vs Arsenal
Prediction
This match will have massive implications for both sides. A West Ham victory could potentially take them into the top six, which would be a massive achievement for Moyes' men. Meanwhile, a win for Arsenal could potentially take them to the top of the table if other results go in their favor.
I think Arsenal will win this match, but I believe it is going to be a low-scoring affair. West Ham will play with all 11 men behind the ball for all 90 minutes.
As a result, I'll be taking Under 2.5 goals at +120.
Pick: Under 2.5 (+100 or Better)
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