West Ham will aim for a second win against Leeds in the space of a week when the teams meet at the London Stadium on Sunday. It finished 2-0 to the Hammers when the teams clashed in the FA Cup last weekend, but can they repeat the feat for our soccer picks?
West Ham United FC vs. Leeds United FC
Sunday, January 16, 2022 – 9:00 AM EST at London Stadium
West Ham is back in business after winning its last three Premier League games. That run has lifted it up to fourth in the Premier League table, and victory in this game could see the Hammers climb even higher.
They should go into the match with a great deal of confidence after easing to a 2-0 win against Leeds in the third round of the FA Cup last weekend. West Ham manager David Moyes rested several important players for that game, but the Hammers were still reasonably comfortable throughout proceedings.
Manuel Lanzini handed them a 1-0 lead on 34 minutes, and Jarrod Bowen fired in a second in stoppage time. It was Bowen’s third goal in two games. He put Norwich to the sword in a Premier League clash on January 12.
West Ham Rediscovers Its Best Form
The Hammers suffered a difficult spell in December when they lost their winning touch, but they now appear to be back in business. Some key players have returned from injury, and they have rediscovered the sort of form that they displayed at the start of the season.
At home, West Ham has five wins, two draws, and three defeats so far this season. Leeds has the fourth worst away record in the division, with just one win, three draws, and five defeats from nine road trips. Its away goal difference is -13, the third-worst mark in the Premier League.
Leeds Teeters Towards the Relegation Zone
Leeds took just one point from four games in December, which saw it tumble down the table. It earned a measure of breathing room by beating Burnley 3-1 on January 2, but it has not played a Premier League game since then.
Last weekend’s clash with West Ham will not exactly boost the morale. The team was missing lots of key players – that has been a hallmark of Leeds’ season – and it struggled to deal with the discipline and organization that the Hammers displayed in midfield and defense.
Marcelo Bielsa’s men have lost all three Premier League games against West Ham since they were promoted to the top flight at the start of last season, which does not inspire much confidence.
Team News
Leeds defender Diego Llorente is suspended for this game. Fellow defender Liam Cooper is out with a hamstring injury, and Jamie Shackleton is an injury doubt. Kalvin Phillips will not recover from a hamstring injury until March. Forward Tyler Roberts is also suspended, and Joe Gelhardt has an ankle injury.
Leeds should welcome star striker Patrick Bamford, forward Rodrigo, and defenders Junior Firpo and Pascal Struijk back for this game, which would give Bielsa a boost. However, Leeds is still unlikely to beat West Ham.
Angelo Ogbonna and Said Benrahma are long-term absentees for West Ham, but they have no other new injury concerns. Kurt Zouma and Tomas Soucek should return soon, but they may not quite be ready in time for this game.
EPL Pick: West Ham to win (-154) with PointsBet
EPL Pick: West Ham -1 Asian handicap (+110) with DraftKings
EPL Pick: Jarrod Bowen to score (+250) with DraftKings
