Leeds and West Ham are playing their match for the 9th round of the Premier League, at Elland Road, the home of Leeds.
Facts
- Leeds have not won away at West Ham since February 2005 (1-2 win), losing two of four matches since.
- Leeds manager Daniel Farke has lost both of his games against West Ham as Norwich manager.
- West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo has won all four of his games against Leeds (all as Wolves manager) while also remaining undefeated against Farke, winning three of four.
Betting Tip: Leeds - West Ham
This is a game between two teams full of question marks, as both Leeds and West Ham are struggling. The Whites have been better overall, but their past performances away at West Ham have been problematic. Considering the defensive weaknesses of both teams, we like the odds for BTTS.
- Recommendation: BTTS
- Odds: 1.90 (at the time of writing)
Leeds
Leeds suffered a thoroughly disappointing 2-0 defeat away at Burnley. The Whites were the superior side from the outset, but created few genuine chances. The hosts were much more productive and opened the scoring with their first opportunity in the 18th minute.
Leeds kept control of the game but wasted their best chance in the 32nd minute, when Aaronson struck the post. Stach and Harrison also failed to convert their own clear-cut chances. The second goal came in the 68th minute, and despite a late push, the visitors could not find the net.
Daniel Farke’s side has now gone three matches without a win, collecting just one point in that stretch and going down to 16th place. Doubts about the German coach have begun to surface, even as he has publicly defended his players.
Leeds, despite their generally positive play, lack the clinical finishing to earn points. Their wastefulness in front of goal is compounded by defensive frailties, and they have failed to capitalise on home advantage, having not won a game since the opening round.
West Ham
A deeply troubling display for West Ham in their home match against Brentford, losing 0-2. The final scoreline ended up being generous to the Hammers, who were under pressure after the first ten minutes, allowed a number of big chances, and were punished in the 43rd minute with the opener.
Bowen was able to record a decent strike at the end of the first half, but that was his side’s sole effort of note. Nothing changed after the interval, with Brentford sealing the deal shortly before the final whistle.
West Ham are now winless for five consecutive matches, collecting only one point and sitting in second-to-last place. Nuno Espírito Santo is still chasing his first victory and faces a daunting challenge, as the problems look increasingly hard to solve.
The Hammers’ defence shows no sign of improvement and continues to be regularly exposed. To make matters worse, they have the league’s second-worst attacking record and seem entirely dependent on Bowen up front, who looks desperately isolated.
