Ian MacNicol/Getty Images. Pictured: West Ham United standout Michail Antonio, right, celebrates a goal.
West Ham vs. Leicester City Odds
| West Ham Odds | +155 |
| Leicester City Odds | +175 |
| Draw | +245 |
| Over/Under | 2.5 (-125 / +100) |
| Day | Time | Monday | 3 p.m. ET |
| How To Watch | NBCSN | fuboTV |
| Odds updated Sunday evening via DraftKings. | |
Clubs looking to stay perfect square off Monday when West Ham United hosts Leicester City at London Stadium to finish the week’s Premier League card.
The Hammers started their campaign in brilliant fashion, notching a 4-2 victory over Newcastle United at St James’ Park. Tomáš Souček and Michail Antonio scored back-to-back goals five minutes apart in the second half to trigger the season-opening road win.
On the other side, the Foxes had to work a little harder to scratch out a result. They settled for a 1-0 triumph against a feisty Wolves side at King Power Stadium. Longtime talisman Jamie Vardy scored the game’s lone goal in the 41st minute, setting up a showdown between unbeaten foes who love to score goals when they meet.
Let’s take a look at these teams and see what might be in the cards.
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West Ham Hoping for Another Big Performance
Manager David Moyes had to be pleased with the Hammers’ moxie and resiliency on debut. His side found itself down 2-1 at the half before scoring three unanswered goals to stun the Magpies on their home soil. Saïd Benrahma equalized for West Ham before Souček and Antonio put the game to bed with their goals.
When it comes to the advanced metrics from the match, the Hammers dominated the affair. They finished with a 2.2-1.4 edge in expected goals, plus wound up with a 53-47% advantage in possession. Newcastle and West Ham were even on total shots (17 apiece), but the host was only able to put three on target in defeat.
The Hammers, who are likely to line up in their traditional 4-2-3-1 formation, have had the recent edge in this series. The hosts took both games from the Foxes in the 2020-21 campaign.
Strong Start Giving Leicester City High Hopes
Despite the fact the Foxes have gotten off to a 2-0 start across all competitions, which includes their win over Manchester City in the Community Shield, I’m still not sold on them being a top-six club this season. There are just too many question marks surrounding them, but a road win over West Ham would probably take away some of my doubts.
As mentioned, Leicester did secure the win over Wolves last week but wasn’t overly impressive on its way to bagging three points. Wolverhampton actually won the xG battle (1.1-0.8), plus it boasted a 17-9 advantage on total shots. Fortunately for the Foxes, they were able to weather the storm, and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was only called upon to make three saves in the victory.
Now, Leicester faces a different kind of opponent in West Ham. The Hammers can hit you in various ways, with the two-headed monster of Antonio and Souček wreaking havoc around the pitch. I think this is an ultra-tricky fixture for the Foxes, so they need to be ready for quite the tussle.
Betting Analysis & Pick
Let me keep this short and sweet. The last five meetings between these clubs have finished with at least three goals. The Hammers and Foxes have also combined for 22 goals in their last six showdowns. Obviously, goals, goals and more goals is the reoccurring theme when these sides connect.
That said, I’m backing the total going over 2.5 goals at -125 odds via DraftKings as my top pick. History is telling us we should be in for another barnburner, so I’ll play the percentages and hope for fireworks in London.
My colleague, BJ Cunningham, pegged this match at 3.04 xG in his weekly column, which happened to be the highest projected total in the 10 games on the schedule. Needless to say, his wisdom has given me even more confidence in this selection.
If you’re looking for a side, I’d sprinkle a little on West Ham via the Draw No Bet wager currently sitting at -120 odds. I’m not listing this angle as an official pick, but I think the Hammers provide the best value between the combatants.
Pick: Total Over 2.5 Goals (-125)
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