Twelve points separate these two teams in the Premier League and, with Aston Villa having collected more wins away than at home, many might think the 7/5 (Sportingbet) about them winning at Upton Park is an early Christmas present. After all, their last two league matches on the road have resulted in 2-0 and 3-2 victories against Arsenal and Everton respectively. Can the Hammers stop the Villans recording yet another three points on their travels?
Gianfranco Zola will certainly have been encouraged by his team’s 1-1 draw at Chelsea, although their last performance at the Boleyn Ground was a miserable one, succumbing 2-0 to Tottenham with barely a whimper. Furthermore, they’ve failed to win any of their last five home matches, losing four of them. Hardly the sort of form that will appeal to punters, even if Skybet are offering a generous 11/5 about them winning.
While the Hammers defence has been reasonably stout in recent matches, conceding just three goals in their past five matches, it will surely be tested against the likes of Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young. The duo have scored three goals apiece in their last two games, with the bookies pricing them up at 6/1 (totesport) and 9/1 (Paddy Power) respectively to open the scoring in this encounter. Craig Bellamy (15/2 bet365) may represent West Ham’s best chance of scoring, with the Welshman registering his first league goal since August last weekend.
Nevertheless, it’s hard to escape the conclusion that Martin O’Neill’s team are the ones to support financially. At both the Emirates and Goodison Park, they only got their noses in front in the second half, which might compel you to back the 9/2 (Victor Chandler) about the match being level at half-time before the visitors kick on after the interval. Villa’s free-scoring ways of late might also result in the Over 2.5 Goals bet being popular, especially at bet365 who are offering stand-out odds of 19/20.