Football betting tips: Monday Night Football
2pts West Ham over 4.5 corners at 6/5 (BetVictor)
BuildABet @ 19/1
- West Ham 5+ corners
- Max Kilman 1+ shots on target
- Evanilson 1+ shots on target
It seems strange that we concluded El Sackico without either manager departing their role. Julen Lopetegui was the winner on the day - West Ham gaining a much-needed 2-1 victory over Wolves.
It's consecutive Monday Night Football appearances for the Hammers as they head to the south coast to meet Bournemouth, a side who look capable of kicking on from last season's strong campaign.
Andoni Iraola's men have won their last three with four of their last five in front of their own supporters also ending in victory. It's testament to their development under their head coach that they are 7/10 to win here.
Will they do that? I'm not entirely sure. I still hold the belief that West Ham can be better than their results suggest and they've shown at times that they possess an attack capable of real quality.
It just needs to be one less focused on striving for perfection. The extra pass in the final third and everything needing to be spot on rather than taking the shooting opportunities which open up has held them back.
This has all the potential to be a highly-entertaining encounter, at least.
What are the best bets?
I often focus on corners when Bournemouth are involved due to their style of play.
They take plenty given their use of width and the low, driven crosses attempted into the box. It makes them a perfect side for corner betting.
The prices go though and you're forced to take a high figure on the ladder when backing the Cherries. Instead, I'm going to flip it slightly.
Prices floating either side of even money are available on WEST HAM OVER 4.5 CORNERS which is certainly interesting given the match-up.
Game state is a usual factor behind their decent returns in this area. Eight of their 15 league games this season have seen them conceding the first goal.
Focus on away games and it's four in seven. More often than not they are finding themselves trailing which forces them into chasing the game for an equaliser - this is a great situation for corners betting.
West Ham also look to their width in attack. They are averaging around 17 crosses attempted per match, that will naturally see some deflected behind.
They're also a high volume of shots side. The more shots you take, the more potential there is for deflections behind or goalkeeper saves directing it for a corner.
Backing this corners line has been a winner in four of West Ham's last five away games. The one in which it didn't was the commanding 2-0 victory over Newcastle, a game where they controlled the entire second-half.
That shouldn't be the case here and with Bournemouth's strong form, it'll be the away side who are forced into looking to make the chances.
Team news
Julian Araujo, Alex Scott, Marcos Senesi and Luis Sinisterra are all still sidelined through injury for Bournemouth. Marcus Tavernier has also been ruled out.
Tyler Adams missed the win over Ipswich but he may be fit enough for involvement in the squad on Monday night.
West Ham full-back Emerson misses out here after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in their win over Wolves.
Striker Michail Antonio has undergone surgery following a road traffic collision last weekend.
Predicted line-ups
Bournemouth XI: Kepa; Smith, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Cook, Christie; Semenyo, Kluivert, Ouattara; Evanilson.
West Ham XI: Fabianski; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Cresswell; Soucek, Alvarez; Kudus, Soler, Summerville; Bowen.
Match facts
- Having done the league double over them in 2018-19, Bournemouth are now winless in their last six Premier League meetings with West Ham (D3 L3).
- West Ham have only failed to score in one of their 14 Premier League meetings with Bournemouth, a 2-0 away defeat in January 2019.
- Bournemouth have won each of their last three Premier League games and will be looking to win four on the bounce for the first time since December 2023.
- West Ham have won nine of their last 10 Premier League games on a Monday, with their only loss in this run coming at Arsenal on Boxing Day in 2022.
- Bournemouth have won four of their last five home Premier League games (L1) with those victories coming against Tottenham, Manchester City, Arsenal and Southampton. However, the Vitality Stadium has seen just 16 goals this season (F10, A6), with only the City Ground (14) seeing fewer in the competition this term.
- West Ham have lost just two of their last 12 visits to the south coast in the Premier League (W3 D7), avoiding defeat in all three of their trips to Bournemouth during this period (W1 D2).
- Only Chelsea (23y 239d) are averaging a younger starting XI than Bournemouth in the Premier League this season (25y 310d), while no side has had more different goalscorers (excl. own goals) than the Cherries in the competition this term (12 – level with Arsenal and Brighton).
- Bournemouth have scored 23 goals from an xG of 30.9 in the Premier League this season. They’ve netted around eight goals fewer than expected, the biggest underperformance in the competition so far this term.
- Bournemouth have scored a league-high total (9) and percentage (39%) of their Premier League goals in the final 15 minutes of games this season. This includes five in second half stoppage time, also a league-high total and percentage overall (22%).
- Jarrod Bowen has both scored and assisted in nine different Premier League games for West Ham, second only to Paolo Di Canio for the Hammers in the competition’s history (10).
Odds correct at 1435 GMT (13/12/24)
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