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Olympiacos vs West Ham betting tips:
- Both teams to score – 13/20 BetMGM
- Mohammed Kudus to score or assist – 11/8 bet365
- Over 9.5 corners in the game – 23/25 Unibet
West Ham are striving for their third in a row in their Europa League campaign against Olympiacos on Thursday.
David Moyes’ men defeated Backa Topola in their first Group A match as Mohammed Kudus notched two goals in a 3-1 win at the London Stadium.
The Hammers followed up that victory with a fine performance on the road to defeat Freiburg, taking a healthy step towards the knockout phase.
West Ham can shore up their position at the top of the group with a third win on the bounce against Olympiacos, who have taken only one point from their two matches so far.
The Greek side are riding high at the top of the Greek Super League, winning six out of their seven matches, although their last league outing against Panathinaikos was suspended.
Olympiacos have had issues transferring their domestic form to the European arena though, surrendering a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw last time out against Backa Topola.
Bookmakers have West Ham as the favourites to emerge with the win, but it will not be an easy task on the road for Moyes and his team.
Will goals continue to flow in Group A?
All four games in Group A have had both teams score, so we could be on for another goal fest at the Karaiskakis Stadium.
Olympiacos have scored four goals in their opening two matches, and will feel aggrieved to have not come away with more than a point.
But, the Greek outfit have issues at the back that have been exposed, and the Hammers will be confident of finding the net.
As a result of the suspension of their game against Panathinaikos, Diego Martinez’s men have not completed a full 90 minutes since their draw with Backa Topola.
There could be some rustiness that West Ham will look to capitalise on, although Moyes’ men have had their own problems at the back. They’ve conceded six goals in their last two Premier League matches, shipping four in a defeat to Aston Villa on the road.
The Hammers have had powers of recovery before and they will need that resilience once more. Given the defensive frailties on each team, we’re backing both teams to score at 13/20 with BetMGM.
Kudus to score or assist
Kudus has not been given too many chances in the starting line-up by Moyes since his move from Ajax at the end of the transfer window.
The 23-year-old has made the most of his limited opportunities though, scoring twice against Backa Topola and bailing the Hammers out late on to earn a 2-2 draw against Newcastle at home.
The Ghanaian has a clinical edge in the final third that could be huge for West Ham’s hopes of competing in the latter stages of the Europa League.
He proved that in the opening game at the London Stadium, but the Hammers still need to know where he fits into the line-up.
The manner of his goals suggest that he can play anywhere across the front three, the forward just needs the license to roam.
Kudus can also pick an eye for a pass, totalling five assists for Ajax last season in Eredivisie and the Champions League. Kudus is still forging relationships with his West Ham teammates, but he has the experience and quality to thrive in this competition.
After looking at football betting sites, we’re backing him to make another decisive impact with either a goal or an assist at odds of 11/8 with bet365.
Over 9.5 corners in Piraeus
West Ham are a team that thrives on corners with the height they have in their team, so it’s no surprise to see that they rank as one of the highest teams in Europe for corners per game.
Contests involving the Hammers average of 13 corners per match, and we could expect another high total for set pieces in this contest as Moyes will urge his team to play to their strengths.
Tomas Soucek, Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma are a handful from corners, especially given the quality of the deliveries from James Ward-Prowse and Jarrod Bowen.
Olympiacos average 5.5 corners in all competitions this term, including earning eight in their defeat at the hands of Freiburg on home soil.
Martinez’s men will try to get on the front foot, and as a result, there could be a fair bit of action in and around the West Ham box too. With our final bet, we’re picking over 9.5 corners at 23/25 with Unibet.
If you look around football betting sites, you will find alternative corner markets, but we’re sticking with 9.5.
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Last Updated: 14th March 2024, 07:22 AM
