PREVIEW: West Ham v Liverpool

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]nother great day of sport and I’m avoiding the 27 runner puzzle of the Ayr Gold Cup and heading instead to the Premier League for the tea-time match tonight at Upton Park.

The column had a nice profit on Thursday thanks to the draw in Partizan v Spurs match.

Liverpool already don’t look the side they were last season. A side good enough to get into the Champions League but a side that needed an injury time penalty to get past Ludogorets and land odds of around 1/6 in the first Group match of the same competition on Tuesday this week.

Their last performance in the Premier League was a shocker too, losing 1-0 at home to Aston Villa.

The Villains struck early and held on to their narrow – but hugely significant win.

Unsurprisingly, a Liverpool side without Sturridge (injured) and Suarez (now at Barcelona) is looking a shadow of its former self.

So can what can we expect later ?

West Ham v Liverpool
Premier League
5.30pm, LIVE ON SKY

HEAD TO HEAD
(Max last 10 matches)
Apr 2014 Premier West Ham 1-2 Liverpool
Dec 2013 Premier Liverpool 4-1 West Ham
Apr 2013 Premier Liverpool 0-0 West Ham
Dec 2012 Premier West Ham 2-3 Liverpool
Feb 2011 Premier West Ham 3-1 Liverpool
Nov 2010 Premier Liverpool 3-0 West Ham
Apr 2010 Premier Liverpool 3-0 West Ham
Sep 2009 Premier West Ham 2-3 Liverpool
May 2009 Premier West Ham 0-3 Liverpool
Dec 2008 Premier Liverpool 0-0 West Ham

West Ham battled out a 2-2 draw on Monday with QPR in a match that proved a lot more exciting than it did on paper but had previously lost 1-3 at home to Southampton, despite taking the lead. Manager Sam Allardyce is expected to name the same squad as he did on Monday.

The stats don’t point favourably towards West Ham getting anything out of this game- they have only won two of their previous 22 league matches against Liverpool (W2, D4, L16) and their current home form is poor – losing four of their last five games.

Given Liverpool’s drop in form and West Ham seemingly showing better form after battling twice to come from behind on Monday I’ll again stick with the draw that has served me well of late.

RECOMMENDED BETS (scale of 1-50 points)

BACK DRAW at around 14/5 for 5 points with Star Sports

RETURN SINCE START OF WORLD CUP: PROFIT 52.01 POINTS

What’s your view? CALL STAR SPORTS 08000 521 321