Leicester City v West Ham United betting tips: Preview, prediction, latest odds & best bets for Premier League clash
The Hammers have won just one game away from home this season and our tipster is backing the Foxes to bounce back from defeat to Arsenal.
Recommended bets
2pts Leicester to win and over 1.5 goals at 17/10
For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record
Leicester City v West Ham United (1730 BST, BT Sport 1)
A meeting between two sides harbouring ambitions of breaking into the top six.
After their summer spending, you might expect West Ham to be the closer of the two but Claude Puel has got his Leicester side playing much the better football so far.
The Foxes, currently 11th in the Premier League table, have won four of their opening nine and were impressive enough despite being beaten at Arsenal on Monday.
They took the lead at the Emirates after an outstanding first-half performance, taking the game to the Gunners, but once Unai Emery's side got back on level terms it looked like there was only going to be one winner albeit there was a let-off for the hosts when Wilfred Ndidi headed against the bar.
Puel's side have some positives to take from that clash, with Ben Chilwell and James Maddison again impressing while Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheancho caused the hosts problems in the final third. Vardy isn't a certain starter after a stomach complaint but the prognosis has been positive and chances are he will lead the line.
West Ham, meanwhile, will be looking to avoid a third successive defeat, a run which comes in the aftermath of four-match unbeaten streak in all competitions.
Manuel Pellegrini's side have been hit and miss so far this season and in truth, they will probably be happy to leave the East Midlands with a point. Whether they can manage it is another question and we'll take Leicester to bounce back from their Arsenal defeat.
Betting guide
Prediction: Leicester 2-1 West Ham (Sky Bet odds: 8/1)
The Foxes are yet to draw this season and while the initial temptation was to go with the points being shared in this one, the feeling is they will do enough to secure all three and bounce back. Their defeat to Arsenal was not necessarily down to a poor performance, more the quality of their in-form opponents, who took hold of the game and scored at key times. West Ham, meanwhile, have lost three of four away games, conceding nine, and are struggling to get a run together as Pellegrini continues to look for his best line-up. On home soil, Maddison, Vardy and company can inspire City to victory.
Best bet: Leicester to win and over 1.5 goals at 17/10
The hosts are around evens for the win, so adding the over 1.5 goals option provides excellent value in a game you would expect to prodice at least two goals. In all four of their wins this season, the Foxes have scored two or more while they have had to come from behind in two of those and something similar could well unfold.
Goals: Kelechi Iheanacho anytime at 5/2
The Nigerian forward, who already has three assists this season, had a good first half for the Foxes at the Emirates, fading in the second before being substituted as Leicester lost control of the match. He recorded two shots on goal (joint-most for Leicester on the night, along with Rachid Ghezzal), so he is showing the willingness to try his luck as well as being key in their build-up play. You can bump up his odds by backing the former Man City striker in a score-and-win double at 7/2. For a larger goalscoring price, it is worth looking at placing a small bet on Harry Maguire. The England defender went close with a free header at Arsenal, already has two goals this season and poses a threat in opposition boxes at every set piece.
RequestABet: Leicester to win, over 1.5 goals, 8+ match corners and 30+ West Ham booking points at 13/2
With the Leicester result and over 1.5 goals, the corners and booking markets bump up the price nicely. As our Premier League vitals page shows, both teams average just over four goals per game and, with both expected to have chances, the set-piece count should be met. West Ham, meanwhile, have the worst yellow card record in the league this season and they may again be ill-disciplined here.
Opta statistics
- Leicester have lost just one of their last seven Premier League games against West Ham (W4 D2) – but that defeat was in the most recent meeting in May 2018.
- West Ham haven’t won back to back away league matches against Leicester since April 1997, when they had a run of four wins at Filbert Street.
- Eight of Leicester’s last nine Premier League goals against West Ham have been scored in the first half.
- West Ham have lost seven of their last 10 away games in the Premier League (W2 D1), although one of those victories came against Leicester last season (2-0).
- Leicester lost their last home Premier League game against Everton – they haven’t lost consecutive PL matches at the King Power Stadium since September 2017 after losing to Chelsea and Liverpool.
- Leicester have lost two consecutive Premier League games for the fifth time in their last 16 outings – they last lost three or more in a row in February 2017 at the end of Claudio Ranieri’s tenure (5).
- West Ham have lost more points from winning positions than any other Premier League team this season (6).
- Since a run of three successive Premier League clean sheets in January, Leicester have kept just four in the following 23 games, conceding 43 goals – no other ever-present PL side have recorded fewer shutouts or conceded more in this period).
- Leicester boss Claude Puel has lost both of his home Premier League matches against West Ham, losing 3-1 in February 2017 with Southampton and 2-0 with the Foxes last season.
- Leicester's James Maddison (18) has created more goalscoring chances in the Premier League this season than any other English player, with the Foxes playmaker providing two assists in the process.
Follow Sporting Life on social media - find us on Facebook here or tweet @SportingLifeFC
Odds correct as of 1540 BST on 25/10/18