West Ham vs West Brom: Preview & Prediction

West Brom fans will be forgiven for having a massive grin on their face as they make their way to London to face West Ham.

The Baggies’ 2-1 win over Arsenal last Saturday has put them within four points of their opponents on Sunday and also opened up a healthy eight-point gap between them and the relegation zone.

How Albion secured a 2-1 win over the Gunners despite only one shot on target and less than 30% possession is anyone’s guess, but a similar scenario here suit boss Tony Pulis just fine.

Meetings between these two have been traditionally tight affairs with both teams sharing two wins apiece in the last 10 Premier League meetings.

West Ham, who can move back into the top-six with a win, will still be licking their wounds from last weekend’s 4-1 defeat at Tottenham and manager Slaven Bilic will have been using his motivational skills to prevent any self doubt creeping in.

The loss of Dimitri Payet to injury has been a major blow but the Frenchman wasn’t the only reason for the Hammers’ early season form.

Despite picking up only two wins at home this season compared to four away, the London side are actually unbeaten in their last four matches at the Boleyn Ground after losing their first two of the season.

The key for West Ham will be scoring early against West Brom’s famously solid defence, which has let in just four goals in six away trips this term.

Before the victory over Arsenal, the Baggies had lost in all six games in which they had conceded first and went on to concede more than one in all of those.

Team News:

Captain Mark Noble is suspended for the match after picking up his fifth yellow card against Tottenham, so Alex Song or Pedro Obiang, who has returned from a thigh injury, will come in.

Enner Valencia (ankle) and Dimitri Payet (ankle) are long-term absentees for Bilic.

Ben Foster remains the only injury absentee for West Brom and he is not expected back until next month due to his ACL knee injury.

Chris Brunt has provided more assists from set pieces since the start of last season than any other player (11) but he, like Noble, will be sitting this one out due to a one-match suspension.

League Position: West Ham – 8th (21 pts); West Brom – 13th (17 pts)
Last Meeting: West Ham 1-1 West Brom (January, 2015)
Key Players: West Ham – Manuel Lanzini; West Brom – James Morrison
Form: West Ham – DWWLDL; West Brom – LWWLLW
Shoot Says: West Ham 2-1 West Brom