Is it too early to call West Ham United at Leeds United a “relegation six-pointer?” Maybe that phrase is an over-used cliche, of sorts, but look at the table. The Hammers are in trouble this season, and we’ll just have to see if Nuno Espirito Santo can pull them out of the depths that the club plunged into after they sacked David Moyes for the second time. The mess really started once Julen Lopetegui took over, and the decline was so severe that Graham Potter just couldn’t do anything about it.
West Ham United at Leeds United FYIs
Kickoff: Fri. Oct 24, 8pm GMT, Elland Road, Leeds, UK
Team News for Both Sides: go here
Google Result Probability: West Ham 22% Draw 26% Leeds United 52%
PL Form: West Ham LLDLL Leeds United LWDLLL
PL Standing: West Ham 19th, 4 pts Leeds United 16th, 8 pts
That said, the decision to let him go seems just.
As for Leeds, they are obviously a newly promoted side, and you know what comes with that territory- the primary concern for the season is simply just staying up in the top flight.
Predicted Starting XIs
West Ham United
Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Diouf; Irving, Soucek; Bowen, Summerville, Fernandes; Paqueta
Leeds United
Darlow; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Gudmundsson; Longstaff, Tanaka, Stach; James, Calvert-Lewin, Harrison
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter