Football
West Ham vs Fulham Preview: Odds, Tips and Prediction
Date: Saturday, December 27 Venue: London Stadium Kick-off: 3pm GMT West Ham will hope to kickstart their survival hopes when they welcome Fulham to the London Stadium on Saturday, December 27. Under Nuno Santo, West Ham have toiled, and they are coming off the back of a 3-0 reverse away to Manchester City. Fulham, meanwhile, are 14th in the table, but a nervy 3-2 win over Burnley earlier this month eased some of the pressure on Marco Silva. Bar Fulham’s 3-2 defeat in the corresponding fixture last season, they have won one and drawn one of the past three encounters with West Ham which is encouraging. SportsBoom always does its homework. Ahead of this game we’ve provided some important pre-match stats. We’ve also hopped on odds supplied by the best football betting sites for you to feast on.
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Lukasz Fabianski/Getty Images
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability: Fulham Well Backed
Premier League betting sites are stacked with prices, and this is where the bookies stand ahead of kick-off:
Home: 37/20 (2.85) – 35.1%
Draw: 47/20 (3.35) – 29.9%
Away: 29/20 (2.45) – 40.8%
*Odds courtesy of BetUK, subject to change.
Head-to-Head Record
Premier League head-to-head records are worth checking out before any given game, and here’s the recent tale of the tape.
Last Five Meetings (Premier League)
- 14/01/2025: West Ham 3-2 Fulham
- 14/09/2024: Fulham 1-1 West Ham
- 14/04/2024: West Ham 0-2 Fulham
- 10/12/2023: Fulham 5-0 West Ham
- 08/04/2023: Fulham 0-1 West Ham
West Ham Current Form - LDDLL
Currently five points adrift of safety, it’s been a miserable season to date for West Ham. The back-to-back wins over Newcastle and Burnley at the start of last month feel like a long time ago, and the Hammers are stuck in a rut.
Although they will have rued slipping up at home to Aston Villa after making a blistering start, the 3-0 defeat away to Manchester City last weekend highlighted the gulf in class between the two sides.
Only Wolves (37) have conceded more goals than West Ham (35) this term, and they need to tighten things up defensively if they are going to beat the drop.
Key Players to Watch
- Jarrod Bowen
As the club’s main marksman, Jarrod Bowen is a go-to option for goals. He’s scored about a quarter of the club’s tally this term (five), and he’s always looking to play off the shoulder of the last man. Fulham need to keep a tight leash on him! - Tomas Soucek
One of the most experienced players in the squad, Tomas Soucek’s importance to the cause can’t be understated. Although he’s only made cameo appearances lately, his height and aerial ability makes him stand out. - Freddie Potts
This is a breakout season for Freddie Potts. He patrols the midfield well and he’s got great composure on the ball. Potts has popped up with an assist this season, and he could be key to West Ham’s survival bid.
West Ham Team News
West Ham are without Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf due to Africa Cup of Nations commitments, while Lukasz Fabianski remains out with a lower back injury.
Fulham Current Form – WWLWW
Although they are faring worse compared to last season as they are 15th in the table, Fulham ended their losing run against Burnley with a nerve-jangling 3-2 win.
After crashing out of the League Cup at the hands of Newcastle in the quarter-finals, Fulham will be confident of handling the busy festive schedule, and Marco Silva isn’t pushing the panic button just yet.
Despite a relatively poor record on the road this season, they did beat fellow London side Tottenham 2-1 on their travels, so that should give them some hope.
Key Players to Watch
- Harry Wilson
He’s come of age this term, and apart from possessing exceptional vision as shown by his sublime strike against Tottenham, Wilson is always keen to take the ball and drive forward. The Welshman is in form, scoring in three of his past four league appearances. - Alex Iwobi
Although he has played in a variety of positions throughout his career, Alex Iwobi has a few tricks up his sleeve, but he will want to improve his output in front of goal. He’s still a dangerman! - Emile Smith Rowe
After being given the cold shoulder by Arsenal, Emile Smith Rowe looks rejuvenated at Fulham, and he’s starting to influence games in his second season at Craven Cottage. With four league goals to his name, the Englishman is finding new levels.
Fulham Team News
Fulham have three players at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Ryan Sessegnon, who is nursing a thigh injury, will miss the West Ham game. However, Silva is hoping he will have him ready for the first round of games in the New Year.
Predicted Line-Ups
West Ham (4-3-1-2)
Areola; Walker-Peters, Kilman, Todibo, Scarles, Magassa, Potts, Mateus-Fernandes, Paqueta, Bowen; Summerville
Fulham (4-2-3-1)
Leno, Tete, Anderson, Bassey, Robinson, Berge, Iwobi, Wilson, Smith Rowe, Chukwueze; Jimenez
Suggested Bets
Premier League sportsbooks are filled with pre-match odds, and we’ve shared some football betting tips to mull over.
Over 1.5 goals: The corresponding fixture last season resulted in five goals, and the Over 1.5 goals line has been met in five of the past six league clashes, so that’s worth latching onto. (1/5 with Bet442)
West Ham (Double Chance): Despite being in the bottom three, West Ham need a result, and after beating Fulham 3-2 at home last term, this line covers two of the three possible outcomes, so don’t neglect it! (46/100 with Copybet)
West Ham Clean Sheet – No: Having leaked 35 goals this term, clean sheets have been hard to come by for the Hammers, so don’t expect them to shut up shop against Fulham. (1/4 with QuinnBet)
Value Bets
Anytime Goalscorer – Harry Wilson: In a rich vein of form, Wilson got on the scoresheet in Fulham’s 5-0 win over West Ham a couple of years ago, and he would relish adding to West Ham’s woes. (9/5 with Betfred)
1st Goal Scored – 16th to 30th minute: Previous clashes have been entertaining, and either side has scored in the first half an hour, so this goal range has value attached. (11/4 with Unibet)
Jarrod Bowen Over 1.5 shots on target – Bowen has a high expected goals rate (3.38 xG), and he’s netted five times. Over 1.5 shots on target is feasible. (9/5 with BetMGM)
Prediction: West Ham (Double Chance)
It has been a season of unrest and disappointment so far for West Ham, and heading into Christmas in the relegation zone will strike fear into all those associated with the club. Fulham aren’t exactly flying, and they will be looking nervously over their shoulders. West Ham have only lost one of their past three league clashes with Fulham, so the Double Chance line could be fulfilled.
Charles Perrin has spent over six years writing about sports betting, working with some of the UK’s top sportsbooks, including bet365 and William Hill.
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