Just three weeks ago West Ham United endured the worst night of their season to date when Manchester City rolled into town and clobbered them 5-0.
The destruction they faced at the London Stadium that night resulted in an early and embarrassing exit from the FA Cup for Slaven Bilic’s men at the third round stage of the competition. However, they haven’t had to wait too long for their opportunity to exact revenge.
Revenge the order of the day
This coming Tuesday evening, Pep Guardiola’s stuttering City return once again to East London looking for another decisive victory to give a semblance of still being title challengers in the wake of their recent patchy form. The Hammers, on the other hand, will be hoping to make amends for that painful five-goal mauling in early January by putting a major dent in City’s fading title aspirations.
In the continued absence of want-away French star Dimitri Payet, who has been upsetting the applecart with his desire to move back to former club Marseille, Bilic will be hoping that the fit and rejuvenated Andy Carroll can continue his recent impressive form and fire West Ham to a third league victory in succession.
City favourites but Hammers better value for money
Guardiola’s men will enter the match on Tuesday as the overriding favourites with the bookmakers for another victory, Bet365 quoting them as low as 4/7 to prevail. However, if you’re looking for value for money when contemplating your next betting fix, it’s difficult to look past a wager on a home win, with massive odds of 21/4 still available at BetVictor. Given City’s recent iffy away form, with away defeats at Leicester, Liverpool and a 4-0 drubbing at Everton fresh in the mind, coupled with West Ham’s improving results of late, a small flutter on a home win has to be worth some serious consideration.
Carroll to continue recent hot streak?
Many punters will undoubtedly look at the first goalscorer market as a source of potential winnings as always. And while it’s difficult at 5/2 with Paddy Power to look past City’s top goalscorer Sergio Aguero to bring home the bacon, serious thought should be afforded to the big man Carroll, who has notched three goals in his last two outings and is great value at 8/1 also with Paddy Power. Aside from the big guns, a significant alternative in the first goalscorer stakes could be West Ham’s man of the season so far, Michail Antonio, who has top-scored with eight goals and is a huge 11/1 with everybody’s favourite Irish bookmaker.
Lightning to strike twice?
City will be reticent to drop any further points with the club already an intimidating 12 points behind league leaders Chelsea. Anything less than a win would surely signal the end of any realistic title-winning hopes. And for anybody with a few quid burning a hole in their pocket and looking for a long odds special, how about a wager on another 5-0 whitewash in City’s favour? Aha, but lightning doesn’t strike twice you say. Well, although unlikely, think Liverpool 4 Newcastle 3 at Anfield two seasons on the bounce in the nineties. Impossible is nothing. Sky Bet will give odds of 50/1 for City to repeat the trick. I might just have a fiver on that myself.
Elsewhere, for any Hammers fans looking for more than just retribution on the pitch and instead some reprisal in the shape of cold hard cash in the pocket, how about a tempting 6/1 with Bet365 for the Hammers to go five better than last time and completely shut out City’s attack? It should be an interesting contest.
