West Ham v Manchester United: Premier League match preview
Looking ahead to this weekend’s fixture at Upton Park
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Your support makes all the difference.West Ham would bite your hand off if they had the chance to be in Manchester United’s position, however, for an under pressure David Moyes, a win at Upton Park would give their slim hopes of a top four finish a lift. Michael Carrick and Rio Ferdinand will be returning to East London where there career’s took off, hoping to put a dent in West Ham’s ambition of a top ten finish this season.
Manchester United have notched just 48 points this season, their worst in their Premier League history. Captain Nemanja Vidic will not be available to command a leaky defence at the Boleyn Ground due to his red card against Liverpool last week. With the Red Devils season inevitable a total write off, there is one crumb of comfort, as there hope of winning the Champions League for a fourth time is still alive after Wednesday’s 3-2 aggregate win over Greek side Olympiakos.
Meanwhile, the hosts’ dodgy start to the season had many people worried. Languishing in the relegation zone for most of the season, Sam Allardyce’s men have hit form at the turn of the year, and are now looking at a top half finish. Five wins in their last 10 games briefly saw the Hammers reach 10 place, however, two defeats on the spin against Everton and Stoke City respectively has now meant they have dropped to 12 and six points above the drop zone.
KICK-OFF: 5:30pm
PAST THREE MEETINGS
Manchester United 3 (Welbeck, Januzaj, Young) West Ham United 1 (C Cole), Premier League, December 2013
West Ham United 2 (Vaz Te, Diame) Manchester United 2 (Valencia, Van Persie), Premier League, April 2013
Manchester United 1 (Rooney) West Ham United 0, FA Cup, January 2013
STATS
The Hammers have failed to score in six of their last nine Premier League games against Man Utd.
Manchester United have lost none of the last 10 top-flight games against West Ham, winning nine.
Wayne Rooney has scored seven goals and assisted three more in his last seven Premier League appearances against West Ham.
West Ham have dropped more points (17) and lost more games (5) from winning positions than any other team in the Premier League this season.
West Ham have won their last three home matches
The Hammers haven’t won four Premier League home games in a row since May 2002, when they beat Bolton in the last game of that run who were managed at that time by Sam Allardyce.
Odds
West Ham win- 4.33
Manchester United win- 1.83
Draw- 3.50
TV: Live Sky Sports 1, 5:30pm, Highlights BBC1, Match of the Day, 10.30pm.
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