Will West Ham claim a win to enhance their European aspirations, or will Bournemouth’s excellent form continue?
Bournemouth ended 2023 as the Premier League’s form team but, following back-to-back defeats, they’ll be desperate to get back to winning ways in this Thursday night fixture.
Between 28 October and Boxing Day, having finally claimed their first victory of the season, Andoni Iraola’s side won seven of nine fixtures, their sole defeat during this period coming at Manchester City.
This saw the Cherries surge from second bottom up to 12th although, since then, they’ve crashed back down to reality, suffering back-to-back defeats, albeit against Tottenham and Liverpool, the latter a 4-0 drubbing.
It’s certainly not all doom and gloom for Bournemouth supporters, not least because, last time out a week ago, they hammered Swansea 5-0 in the FA Cup, with all the goals coming in the first half.
Lloyd Kelly, Alex Scott, Luis Sinisterra, David Brooks and Dominic Solanke all on target in a 37 minute spree.
So, will the Cherries take confidence from that and pick up three points in East London?
As for West Ham, despite the fact they’re all the way up in sixth place, it’s pretty much doom and gloom.
Unlike their visitors, the Hammers were dumped out the FA Cup last month, beaten by Bristol City in a replay at Ashton Gate.
In their last outing 11 days ago, David Moyes’ men were held to a 2-2 draw by bottom of the table Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
The Irons twice led in Yorkshire, Maxwel Cornet belatedly scoring his first for the club, before James Ward-Prowse slammed a penalty straight down the middle, only for the Blades to equalise with a spot-kick of their own in the 13th minute of injury time, the latest-ever goal in Premier League history.
Despite back-to-back draws, West Ham are unbeaten in five league games, losing only one of their last ten, but still there are serious questions about Moyes’ future, despite their impressive league position.
Back on the opening day, these two drew 1-1 at Dean Court, so will there be a winner this time?
Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals
We expect a high-scoring affair, given that the 13 Premier League meetings between the two have witnessed 46 goals, an average of 3.5 per 90, with both teams scoring in eight of these encounters.
West Ham are unbeaten in five, with Bournemouth’s most-recent victory at the London Stadium coming six years ago, but we’re not feeling confident enough to back a winner either-way.
Jarrod Bowen and Dominic Solanke to score anytime
Given that we foresee something of a goal-fest, we’re backing the main men for both sides to get on the scoresheet.
Jarrod Bowen returned after injury against Sheffield United last time out, a major boost given that Michail Antonio and Lucas Paquetá are both injured, although Mohammed Kudus is now back from AFCON.
The winger has 14 goals to his name this season, on target in the draw at Dean Court in August, so we’re backing him to repeat the feat here.
The other scorer that day was Dominic Solanke, the first of his 14 this season, nine of which have come in his last ten appearances.
So, as was the case six months ago, we’re backing both Bowen and Solanke to add to their respective tallies.
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