*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
West Ham and Leicester – the end-of-season top-four clash we all anticipated at the beginning of the season, I’m sure. In a lot of ways, the fear of missing out overwrites the sense of opportunity you get from a situation like this.
For Leicester, they’ve been here before. They spent endless months fighting the idea of dropping a league title to Spurs who would hilariously go on to finish third after all that.
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West Ham might be a very different story because they’re nowhere near as talented, and their gaffer, who was seen as the second coming of Alex Ferguson just because he also Scottish and occasionally got angry at strange moments, is on a redemption tale.
Brendan Rodgers, to me, is the manager of the decade in the Premier League. Of course you can make the case for Pep Guardiola and trophies are naturally the be-all and end-all, but nobody has overachieved as consistently as the Northern Irishman.
Finishing in the top three here and seeing off the challenge of the all-spending Chelsea rejuvenation project would be a spectacular endorsement for his credentials again. But in all likelihood, someone has to lose out here. Here’s three wagers to make sure you’re happy, even if one of these won’t be.
Sunday 2.05pm: West Ham v Leicester
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Short-price punt: Over 2.5 Goals
Only Everton have conceded more goals in the top half than West Ham – it’s just the situational awareness of how to win football games that helps West Ham get where they are. That’s not a condemnation. It’s a hat-tip to Moyes’ management style.
But, as Leicester begin to get their charges back to full-strength, you just wonder if they’ve got the talent to keep it together against one of the most tactically-fluid sides in England.
The Hammers have scored six times and conceded five in their last two games, which is a gorgeous snapshot of how this season has been – overcoming clear frailties against all odds. If they’re to do it again here, it won’t be from keeping a clean sheet. we could see plenty of action and Over 2.5 Goals.
Value Play: Jesse Lingard to Score Anytime
As Leicester have seen in recent weeks, it’s very hard to score goals continuously when your X-factor player in the middle of the park is missing. West Ham prior to Jesse Lingard were industrious and played football cleverly in order to grind out results.
Now, it seems more a case of unleashing his undeniable ability on the world on confirming that you can actually be a huge manchild and still be a top-end footballer. Who knew? Jesse Lingard to Score Anytime is your value play.
Long Shot: Leicester to Have Eight or More Shots on Target
While I’m not gone on the stadium as a venue, I do love West Ham’s pitch and how it plays out. There’s a lot of space for Leicester to operate in, in behind – and they’re generally at their very best when they’re pulling crosses back to the edge of the box and finding the target with relative comfort.
This gets easier on bigger pitches, and while minimum requirements from FIFA ensure you can’t have too big a difference from ground to ground, West Ham is certainly handing teams who are dangerous on the flanks a distinct advantage as only Brighton possess a bigger surface in the top flight. Leicester to Have Eight or More Shots on Target is a long shot but not out of the question.
Our tips for West Ham v Leicester
Safe Bet: Over 2.5 Goals
Value Play: Jesse Lingard to Score Anytime
Long Shot: Leicester to Have Eight or More Shots on Target
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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