It’s been a fast rise up the table for West Ham. Just two weeks ago, the Hammers were one of a half-dozen teams slogging their way through the bottom of the table, doing just enough to stay ahead of potential relegation. Now, the Hammers are right in the thick of things in the middle of the table, and they are just three points back of Everton. They will look to keep their streak of positive results alive when they face bottom of the table Fulham.
Don't miss the English Premier League action from Craven Cottage in London at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 15, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on NBC.
English Premier League Betting at BookMaker.eu
Fulham +180
West Ham +144
Draw +253
Over/Under 2.5 and 3
Odds Analysis
Poor defense has characterized Fulham all year, and that’s the reason the Cottagers are in last place. They have allowed 40 goals already this season, and they could go down as the worst defense in Premier League history. They have allowed 2.5 goals per game on average, and they are on pace to give up more goals than Derby Country did 11 years ago and could be just the second team to allow 100 goals or more in a season (Swindon Town allowed 100 goals in 42 games 25 years ago). Fulham let Manchester United net four last week, and it could have been much worse if goalkeeper Sergio Rico didn’t have a valiant effort.
West Ham have now won three matches in a row, and their attack has been great during this stretch. They have scored three goals in each of their three victories, beating Newcastle United, Cardiff City, and Crystal Palace. That has given them some breathing room, and relegation is essentially a worry of the past at this point.
Key Injuries
Fulham won’t have Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa available for this match. Anguissa was sent off after picking up two yellow cards against Manchester United last week, and he will be out for this match as a result. Floyd Ayite is considered doubtful with a strained groin, while Kevin McDonald is questionable with a strained hamstring and Calum Chambers is questionable with a knock.
There are a number of injuries for West Ham ahead of this match. Andriy Yarmolenko, Carlos Sanchez, Winston Reid, and Manuel Lanzini are long-term injuries, while Ryan Fredericks looks set to be out for a while too. Star forward Marko Arnautovic is out until the start of the new year, and Lucas Perez and Jack Wilshere are both questionable.
Player to Watch
Without Arnautovic in the lineup, West Ham have needed someone else to come forward and fill the void left by his absence. Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez has been able to do just that. He has notched three goals in West Ham’s last three matches, and he has played well off of Robert Snodgrass and Lucas Perez. It will hurt if Perez is unable to go after picking up a nasty gash on his foot last weekend, and that will mean Hernandez needs to do more.
Prop Bet of the Game – West Ham Over 1.5 Goals +102
The only reason this line is so low is because of the injury concerns for West Ham. Fulham’s back line is historically bad, and the Cottagers are unlikely to improve in the back without a big signing or two. It was thought that the club would improve in the back with Claudio Ranieri coming on as manager, but last week’s result was abysmal.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
It’s hard for me to have much faith in Fulham here, despite West Ham being without multiple key players. The Hammers will do well enough to get the win, and I think they are more likely to score three goals than just one.
English Premier League Odds: West Ham 2, Fulham 1
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