West Ham (-2)
Gianluca Scammaca to score first
Said Benrahma to score anytime
Maxwel Cornet to score anytime
*A Bet Builder with these selections pays at approximately 44/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
Thursday 7.45pm: West Ham v Viborg – Uefa Europa Conference League qualifier
TV: BT Sport
West Ham (-2)
West Ham were already overwhelming favourites to win this tie, but the odds are now weighted even more heavily in their favour following news Viborg’s Ibrahim Said and Alassana Jatta have been ruled out of the first leg due to Brexit visa issues.
Jatta, a forward who scored in Viborg’s 2-1 win at B36 Torshavn in the previous qualifying round, and Said, a winger who scored in their second-round win over Lithuanian outfit Suduva, are two important players whose loss will further hinder Viborg’s chances of snatching an unlikely result.
West Ham, meanwhile, are in desperate need of a confidence boost after opening their Premier League campaign with two defeats from their opening two games. The Hammers are also yet to score a goal in the league, although they were desperately unlucky not to find the back of the net at Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
This is an opportunity for the hosts to build some much-needed confidence ahead of their clash with Brighton on Sunday and it would be a huge surprise if they didn’t secure a comfortable win.
Gianluca Scammaca to score first
Gianluca Scammaca is yet to start a competitive game for West Ham since making a big money move from Sassuolo in the summer, but the Italian striker is likely to get an opportunity here with games coming thick and fast for the Hammers, and David Moyes likely to ring the changes to ensure he has a fresh squad for the weekend.
Scammaca has hardly had a sniff of goal in his two substitute appearances so far, but has proved his goalscoring prowess over the last few seasons in Italy. He was the sixth-top scorer in Serie A last term, scoring 16 goals in 25 starts to help fire Sassuolo to an 11th-place finish. Eight of his 16 league goals last season came as Sassuolo’s opening goal and he can open the scoring for the Hammers against Viborg on Thursday.
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Said Benrahma to score anytime
Benrahma was West Ham’s best player in their defeat to Forest, tormenting the home side’s defenders throughout the 1-0 defeat at the City Ground. The Algerian winger endured a difficult first season in 2020/21 after signing from Brentford but found his feet during the last campaign, scoring eight league goals and 11 goals in all competitions.
He was desperately unlucky not to open his account for this season at the City Ground when he saw a brilliant freekick crash against the crossbar and bounce agonisingly onto the line, but he has a good chance of opening his account against lesser opposition on Thursday.
Maxwel Cornet to score anytime
Like Scammaca, Cornet is yet to start for West Ham since his move from Burnley, but the Ivorian winger should get his chance on Thursday. Cornet was the reason Burnley’s relegation fight even made it to the final day last season, scoring nine goals in 21 starts to give the Clarets a fighting chance.
It is no surprise that a Premier League side came in for his services, especially when he was available at a cut price. He has also scored vital goals for Lyon in the Champions League, including four goals against Manchester City.
West Ham v Viborg Betting Tips
West Ham (-2)
Gianluca Scammaca to score first
Said Benrahma to score anytime
Maxwel Cornet to score anytime
*A Bet Builder with these selections pays at approximately 44/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
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