West Ham will host Brighton in the 20th round of the Premier League. Both teams have huge potential and it could be said that they have made the most progress over the last two seasons. This will also be the last match of this round, with the game scheduled for 20:30.
West Ham: The goal is to triumphantly enter 2024 and continue the excellent streak!
David Moyes seems to always simmer on a quiet fire at the West Ham bench. After keeping the club in the league and then being brutally discarded in favor of Manuel Pellegrini in 2018, Moyes returned “home” in 2019, taking the reins when the team was 17th in the table, just a point above the relegation zone, and he kept the Hammers in the Premier League. On the penultimate day of 2023, he celebrated four years in charge. His current contract expires at the end of the season.
During this time, for the first time in West Ham’s history, the team finished among the top seven in two consecutive campaigns. Also, the team from East London is playing European football for the third consecutive season, something that has never happened before. In each campaign, including the current one, they finished top of their group and progressed to the knockout phase.
In June, Moyes was instrumental in one of the most significant nights in West Ham’s entire history, when the Hammers beat Fiorentina and won the Conference League in Prague, their first major trophy since the FA Cup in 1980.
However, even after that success, a good number of West Ham fans thought it would be an appropriate end to Moyes’ time at the club.
They called Emirates an impregnable fortress this season, but that practice ended in the previous round of the Premier League. West Ham came to their city rival, and while the host played football and created chances, the neighbor from East London took advantage of theirs. After the Hammers scored one goal in each half and thwarted Arsenal’s chance to take the Premier League lead, the talk won’t be about how Arteta’s boys had 30 shots and Moyes’ only five.
It was West Ham’s tenth victory this season, and in the last 5 matches, they took scalps from Tottenham and Manchester United, currently sitting in 6th place with 33 points, with a game less than fourth-placed Arsenal.
The West Ham helmsman can be satisfied with this season, as the club is also doing well in the Europa League, where after last year’s Conference League triumph, they have adapted well to the higher level in the Europa League, progressing from Group A to the spring phase in first place, competing with Freiburg, Olympiacos, and TSC.
Brighton: De Zerbi has big plans for 2024!
Brighton fans certainly expected more from this season, but they are surely not dissatisfied with the current state. Robert de Zerbi’s squad was expected to compete for international tournaments. The Seagulls are still in the game, having qualified for the knockout phase of the Europa League, a novelty this season for the team from the Amex Stadium.
De Zerbi is dealing with injury problems. The Italian cannot count on Kaoru Mitoma and Simon Adingra, who will be out of action for four to six weeks. The Japanese player is troubled by an ankle issue, while the Ivory Coast international has a tendon problem. De Zerbi complained before this match that they have as many as 10 injured players.
Apart from the mentioned duo, Ansu Fati, Tariq Lamptey, Adam Webster, Solly March, Julio Enciso, and Joel Veltman are also injured. Brighton plays in variable form, but they are much better in front of their own fans. Just one loss in ten matches, with four draws and five wins.
De Zerbi marked a small milestone of 50 Premier League matches as Brighton’s manager, in the match against Crystal Palace where they drew 1:1. The Italian is the manager who has rotated the most this season in the league.
Tottenham experienced another defeat (4:2) at Brighton in the 19th round of the Premier League. It was a debacle, and we can freely say a disgrace, but even though they avoided it, they returned to London red-faced. The fact that they filled Guilherme Vicaria’s net led to Brighton players pulling back in the finale, and they nearly jeopardized the victory with such an approach. Tottenham knew how to punish the relaxation of the rivals, halving the deficit in four minutes, and although they had a few more chances in the match’s injury time, it would have been unfair if they had taken a point from Amex, as they only started playing in the finale.
The Seagulls’ flock, in their assault on the Spurs, was led by Joao Pedro. The Brazilian played one of his best games since arriving on the Island four years ago in the 19th round. After a brilliant slalom through the guests’ defense, he set up the leading goal for the beardless Jack Hinchelwood (his second in Brighton’s senior team), then doubled the lead from the penalty spot ten minutes later, and in the 75th minute, he knocked out the rival with another precise shot from the spot. Between Pedro’s goals, there was also a beautiful goal by Pervis Estupinan from the edge of the penalty area.
Our Betting Suggestions
West Ham enters this match as a slight favorite, with the odds for their victory at 2.50 at Mozzartbet, while the odds for a Brighton win are 2.75.
Goals seem likely in this match, as both teams have been playing in good form recently. Our main suggestion for this match is the gg (Both Teams To Score) bet at odds of 1.52 at Mozzartbet, and the gg&ov 2.5 Goals bet at odds of 1.75 also seems very attractive. West Ham has 4 victories in their last 5 matches, having won against Tottenham, Manchester United, and Arsenal in the last round, so we believe they will not lose today. For those chasing higher odds, we suggest the Home Win & Over 2.5 Goals bet at odds of 3.45 also at Mozzartbet.
Be the first to comment