West Ham United are still alive in the race for top four, but they’re running out of time. They’re six points behind fourth place Chelsea, but do have a game in hand on the Blues. Level on matches played with Liverpool, the Hammers are two points behind last season’s league champions.
They’ll make the trip to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday well aware that they must win out, and get some help, in order to qualify for Champions League. Let’s preview this critical clash.
West Ham United at Brighton FYIs
Kickoff: Sat May 15, 8pm, Amex Stadium
PL Position: West Ham 6th, 58 pts Brighton 17th, 37 pts
PL Form Guide: West Ham LWLLW Brighton LWLDD
Odds: West Ham +140 Brighton +190 Draw +250
Team News
Manager David Moyes could be without a host of key players in this one, The list includes star midfielder Declan Rice (knee injury), left-backs Arthur Masuaku and Aaron Cresswell, Manuel Lanzini and team captain Mark Noble.
While are all doubts to feature in this game, the entire quintent has not been ruled out, and all of the players listed are still in contention.
Perhaps we’ll know more tomorrow when Moyes addresses the media, or maybe he’ll just keep the information closer to the vest.
West Ham United Starting XI Prediction at Brighton
Lukasz Fabianski, Vladimir Coufal, Craig Dawson, Issa Diop, Ben Johnson, Tomas Soucek, Pablo Fornals, Jarrod Bowen, Jesse Lingard, Said Benrahma, Michail Antonio
Prediction: West Ham 2, Brighton 0
Anyone who is borderline capable, physically, to play will play, as this is crunch time. The more talented and higher priced side will deliver the result in this one.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.