Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Premier League clash between West Ham United and Leeds United, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Revelling in one of their most famous European nights in history, West Ham United return to domestic duties to host Leeds United at the London Stadium in Sunday’s Premier League affair.
While David Moyes‘s side were busy booking their tickets to the Europa Conference League final, the Whites have had a week to reflect on their enthralling 2-2 draw versus Newcastle United.
Match preview
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Before despicable scenes of fan unrest made the headlines, West Ham navigated a gruelling 94 minutes of football in the second leg of their Conference League semi-final with AZ Alkmaar, who sought to reverse a 2-1 deficit from their trip to the English capital.
However, Moyes’s staunch defence held out admirably, and a last-gasp Pablo Fornals strike into the bottom corner sent the travelling West Ham fans into delirium. A Prague date with Italian powerhouses Fiorentina awaits in next month’s final, but the inquest has already begun into a portion of hooded AZ supporters disgracefully attacking the Hammers’ family section after the full-time whistle.
Before their stopover in the Czech Republic takes precedence, the 15th-placed Hammers have 180 minutes to confirm their Premier League safety, having failed to assure themselves of top-flight football in a 2-0 defeat to Brentford during their most recent top-flight contest.
Moyes’s side may not be mathematically safe just yet, but a point on Sunday would do the trick, and even if Leeds can travel back to Elland Road with a maximum, the Hammers will have staved off relegation if Wolverhampton Wanderers see off Everton a day before.
Boasting three victories from their last four contests in all tournaments – including a 1-0 home success over Manchester United earlier this month – West Ham have scored in all of their Premier League matches at the London Stadium in 2023 and are unbeaten in their last five final home games of a top-flight season since being trounced 4-0 by Liverpool in 2017.
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There would not have been a more relieved man in the stadium than Patrick Bamford during Leeds’ four-goal spectacular with Newcastle last weekend, as Sam Allardyce‘s 10 men fought back with vigour to claim a point off of the Champions League chasers.
Bamford played his part in a seventh-minute Luke Ayling opener before sending a tame spot kick into the palms of Nick Pope, and Callum Wilson showed his compatriot how it is done with two assured penalties, but a deflected Rasmus Kristensen strike ensured a share of the spoils at Elland Road.
Having also given Manchester City quite the scare, it is fair to say that Allardyce’s influence is already being well and truly felt. However, influence has not translated into wins for Leeds, who enter the weekend below the dotted line in 18th place, albeit just one point below Everton.
As admirable as Leeds’ performance last weekend was, the Whites have now gone without victory in seven successive Premier League matches and travel to the London Stadium on the back of four successive away defeats – conceding at least two goals on each occasion – but they have prevailed in their final away game of the season three years running.
West Ham and Leeds kicked off the New Year in style with a 2-2 draw at Elland Road back in January, and a Jack Harrison hat-trick memorably propelled the Whites to a 3-2 triumph at the London Stadium last season – ending a run of three successive Premier League defeats against Moyes’s European finalists.
West Ham United Premier League form:
West Ham United form (all competitions):
Leeds United Premier League form:
Team News
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While he will understandably need to assess the fitness of his players in the wake of Thursday’s win and their wild dressing room celebrations, Moyes seemingly does not have any fresh injury concerns to factor in for the visit of Leeds.
Misfiring striker Gianluca Scamacca‘s disappointing debut season in England was cut short by knee surgery, which will keep him out for the remainder of the season, but Moyes is otherwise blessed with options for change and ought to make full use of his squad depth here.
Conference League hero Fornals should be one of the first names in contention for a starting role, while the fresh legs of Manuel Lanzini, Danny Ings, Vladimir Coufal and Emerson Palmieri could also come in handy. Knockout goalkeeper Alphonse Areola will also make way for Lukasz Fabianski as ever.
In contrast, Leeds’ absentee list is much bulkier, as left-back Junior Firpo was given his marching orders in the draw with Newcastle – the ex-Barcelona man escaped a second yellow for handball before a late lunge on Anthony Gordon left Simon Hooper with no other choice.
Firpo will serve his one-game ban here, while Tyler Adams (thigh), Stuart Dallas (thigh) and Luis Sinisterra (ankle) continue to recover from their season-ending issues, and Marc Roca has emerged as a fresh concern due to a foot problem.
On a brighter note, Liam Cooper has made a training comeback from a groin injury and could be an option to replace the banned Firpo, but Pascal Struijk is seemingly a more likely deputy from the off.
West Ham United possible starting lineup:
Fabianski; Coufal, Zouma, Ogbonna, Emerson; Downes, Rice; Fornals, Lanzini, Cornet; Ings
Leeds United possible starting lineup:
Robles; Ayling, Kristensen, Wober, Struijk; McKennie, Koch; Harrison, Rodrigo, Gnonto; Bamford
We say: West Ham United 1-2 Leeds United
With Leeds both scoring and conceding in their last 11 Premier League matches, goals are virtually guaranteed whenever the Whites step foot onto the field, and they have shown enough under Allardyce so far to suggest that they can trouble a weary West Ham side.
As well as jellied legs, Moyes’s men may already have one eye on the Europa Conference League final with safety almost assured, and we would not be surprised to see Leeds capitalise on West Ham’s continental exertions to pinch a priceless victory in their battle against demotion.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
