West Ham vs Man Utd betting tips, BuildABet, best bets and preview
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Football betting tips: Premier League
1pt Luke Shaw to be shown a card at 11/4 (General)
1pt Mohammed Kudus to score anytime at 3/1 (bet365)
A penny for David Moyes' thoughts as he witnesses yet another of his successors to the poisoned chalice that is the Manchester United manager's job battling to prevent themselves being submerged in the murky Old Trafford waters.
Moyes will know better than most the challenges that role poses, having lasted less than a year in the hotseat as the Red Devils slumped to their lowest ever Premier League finish of seventh in 2014 after he replaced Sir Alex Ferguson.
The way things are going, though, that record low finish might be beaten this season given Erik ten Hag's seventh-placed side have both West Ham and Brighton hot on their heels.
After failing to score in four of their past five games and losing six of their past 12 games in all competitions, the Red Devils will be desperate for some pre-Christmas cheer at the Olympic Stadium.
What are the best bets?
Little point getting involved in the outrights here. The bookies cannot split the sides and with good reason - both are as hit-and-miss as the other. West Ham have been decent at home but the Red Devils' best displays have probably been on the road.
Instead I'm keen to focus on Hammers livewire MOHAMMED KUDUS, who looks an inspired signing from Ajax (unlike some of those made by Ten Hag from his former club, some might say).
Up against his former boss, the Ghanaian might have a point to prove and prices of 3/1 on him TO SCORE ANYTIME look a tad on the large side on a player who has scored six times in his past 11 games for West Ham since breaking into the side.
Manchester United are giving up a massive 19.5 shots per game on Andre Onana's goal when they play on the road and if anything like that ratio continues then Kudus will have plenty of chances to maintain his recent scoring run.
Playing on the right of an attacking midfield three, Kudus caused Wolves all sorts of problems in last weekend's 3-0 win for the Hammers - he netted twice and was also on the receiving end of a foul that saw Wanderers defender Toti Gomes booked.
I can see him handing LUKE SHAW similar issues on Saturday. The England left-back is still finding his way back to full speed after more than three months out injured and has been booked three times in seven games since his return.
Up against the tricky Kudus in front of a baying Hammers crowd who always like to get one over on the Red Devils, the 11/4 on Shaw TO BE SHOWN A CARD is certainly worth a play.
BuildABet @ 24/1
- Mohammed Kudus to score anytime
- Luke Shaw to be shown a card
- Andre Onana 4+ saves
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Manchester United's penchant for allowing hosts to rack up a big shot count has meant that Andre Onana has made four saves or more in five of their eight Premier League trips this season.
Score prediction: West Ham 2-1 Man Utd (Sky Bet odds: 8/1)
Team news
Manchester United will welcome back skipper Bruno Fernandes from suspension for the trip to the capital but Diogo Dalot is serving a one-match ban for his late sending-off in the goalless draw at Liverpool.
The Red Devils' lengthy injury list shows little sign of easing with Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Christian Eriksen, Casemiro, Mason Mount and Tyrell Malacia all out, although Victor Lindelof and Anthony Martial may be fit to return.
There are few such problems for West Ham boss Moyes, although Michail Antonio remains out with a knee injury. Nayef Aguerd and Maxwel Cornet both missed the EFL Cup exit at Liverpool on Wednesday with illness and will be checked on.
Predicted line-ups
West Ham: Fabianski; Coufal, Zouma, Mavrapanos, Emerson; Ward-Prowse, Paqueta, Alvarez, Soucek; Bowen, Kudus.
Manchester United: Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Varane, Shaw; McTominay, Mainoo; Antony, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund
Match facts
- West Ham won their most recent Premier League meeting with Man Utd in May, last beating the Red Devils in consecutive games in a run of three between December 2006 and December 2007.
- Manchester United have won just two of their last six away Premier League games against West Ham (D1 L3), both under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 campaigns.
- Manchester United have won just two of their last 12 Premier League games in London (D3 L7), with both of those victories coming against Fulham (November 2022 and November this season).
- Since David Moyes’ return to West Ham in the 2019-20 campaign, the Hammers have won just three of their 31 Premier League games against sides to finish in the top four the previous season (D5 L23). They’ve never kept a clean sheet in these 31 games, with all three victories coming by a 3-2 scoreline.
- Only Sheffield United and Luton have faced more shots in the Premier League this season than both West Ham and Manchester United (271 each). Since 2003-04, it is the Red Devils' most shots faced per game in a campaign (15.9) while it is West Ham’s highest average since 2013-14 (17.8 per game that season).
- Manchester United have failed to score in three of their four Premier League matches in December, their most in a single month since January 2020 (also three). The Red Devils have drawn a blank in 11 games in 2023, only failing to score in more games in one calendar year in the Premier League (12 in 2015).
- The Red Devils have lost 12 games in all competitions already this season, last losing more before Christmas in 1930-31 (16), a season in which they finished bottom of the top-flight.
- Lucas Paquetá assisted all three of West Ham’s goals in their 3-0 win over Wolves last time out, assisting as many times in that game as he did in 28 games last season. He also created six chances in open play in the match, the most by a Hammers player since Mauro Zárate vs Stoke in December 2015 (7).
- Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes has created 126 chances in the Premier League in 2023, the most of any player and a record (since 2004) by a Red Devils player in a calendar year. He has also created the most open play chances (96), with only two players ever creating more in a year on record: Mesut Özil in 2015 (104) and Eden Hazard in 2015 (98).
Odds correct 1600 GMT (21/12/23)
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