West Ham-Southampton is a match valid for the twenty-ninth day of the Premier League and is played on Sunday at 15:00: TV, formations, predictions.
Two teams not living a serene moment and dealing with an increasingly worrying league table. In the Premier League from twelfth place down practically all are at risk: between twelfth-place Crystal Palace and third-last West Ham there are only three points. And who could have imagined, at the start of the tournament, that the Londoners would find themselves mired in the relegation zone with twelve days to go?
Southampton are worse off, the bottom of the table on 23 points, one less than the Hammers (but with two games to spare). In the case of the Saints, however, such a dismal season was not impossible to envisage. David Moyes’ team, meanwhile, has not taken the field since 16 March, when they buried the Cypriots (4-0) of Aek Larnaca in the Conference League. Yes, because while in the Premier League West Ham are at risk of ending up on the bottom floor, in Europe everything is going swimmingly, not least because of the unexceptional value of the opponents that Antonio and his teammates have encountered on their path. A fortnight ago they should have faced Manchester City, but the match with the reigning English champions was postponed due to the FA Cup commitment of Pep Guardiola’s team. Their last Premier League match was therefore against Aston Villa, held 1-1 at the London Stadium.
Hammers unbeaten at home in 2023
Europe, though, can wait. West Ham now need to move away from the red zone and the match with Southampton looks the right opportunity to try and start the climb back up. In their own stadium the Hammers have yet to lose in 2023: the last home defeat was last December against Brentford.
Armstrong
But the Saints are the ones to watch out for. In addition to their nine away defeats, they have also had four wins and a draw at home to Manchester United (0-0). In the last round, however, the team coached by the Spaniard Ruben Selles made themselves somewhat complicit in Antonio Conte’s exoneration, winning back Tottenham in the middle of the game (3-3) thanks to a free kick by the usual Ward-Prowse. The coach of the red-and-whites recovered Bednarek in extremis, but will have to renounce the injured Bella-Kotchap and probably also striker Adams. In West Ham Fabianski and Antonio are in doubt: in the offensive trident space for Bowen, Ings and Benrahma.
The Prediction
A straightforward salvation clash: both can still keep their place in the league and it’s going to be a more open game than expected. Southampton are out with a number of absentees and are not favourites, but in recent outings they have been able to trouble the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham, and West Ham will have to take that into account.
The West Ham-Southampton line-up probables
- WEST HAM (3-4-3): Areola; Coufal, Kehrer, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Soucek, Rice, Paqueta; Bowen, Ings, Benrahma.
- BOURNEMOUTH (4-2-3-1): Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Salisu, Perraud; Ward-Prowse, Lavia; Walcott, Alcaraz, Elyounoussi; Mara.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1
