With the same score and looking to ‘take off’ the relegation zone, the traditional West Ham faces on Friday, October 20, rookie Brighton. The match opens the ninth round of the English Championship 2017/2018 edition. It has kick-off scheduled for 17h (GMT) at the Olympic Stadium in London.
West Ham’s recent performance
West Ham United had a disastrous start to the season but showed signs of recovery in the last two rounds. On the day of number seven, at home, managed to defeat the Swansea, a direct rival in the fight against relegation, by 1 to 0.
In the eighth round, away from home, against Burnley, managed to start the tie by 1 to 1. In that case, the point should be more valued by the circumstances. West Ham made it to the front but had a player sent off in the first half. At 27 minutes, striker Andrew Carroll (five games in the 2017/2018 Premier League season, no goal) received the red card. Still, the London side managed to hold on to rival pressure until the 40th minute of the final, when they conceded the equalizer.
Thus, with eight points (two wins, two draws and four defeats), he took the fifteenth place. The advantage for Leicester, eighteenth and opening the relegation zone, is only two points.
For the game this Friday, coach Slaven Bilic can not count, of course, with Carroll, who will need to comply with automatic suspension. Also may have defender James Collins down (three games, no goal). The 34-year-old Welsh suffered an ankle injury that took him out of the last four games. It will have to go through a new evaluation that will determine its use or not for the confrontation with Brighton.
The current form of Brighton
A Premier League rookie, Brighton knows that their great battle in the 2017/2018 season is to fight for their stay in the elite division of English football. If you have not shown brilliance in your matches, at least you can achieve this goal. Also with eight points, appears in the fourteenth position in the English Championship standings when the tiebreaker criteria are used.
The visiting campaign, however, is able to leave fans worried. Of the four matches played, Brighton suffered three defeats and added the only point in the scoreless draw with Watford.
The defense-focused system deployed by coach Chris Hughton is the main cause of low offensive productivity in this situation. Brighton managed to score just one goal away. The strategy does not come, however, presenting the desired results defensively, once the team has been leaked six times.
To face West Ham, Hugton also has to deal with a suspension problem. Israeli striker Tomer Hemed (six matches in the 2017/2018 Premier League, two goals) can not play. Also missing out is midfielder Steve Sidwell, who with a serious back injury has not yet participated in official matches in the season.
History of the bouts between West Ham and Brighton
This will be the first time the teams face each other in the Premier League, but the retrospective features five games including four in the Championship, the English Premier League, and one in the FA Cup. West Ham won three times, there was a Brighton victory and an equality.
PREDICTION: West Ham win @ 1.83
