Our prediction for this Premier League match:
After dropping two points in a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace before the international break, West Ham will be aiming to return to winning ways when they face Southampton at St. Mary’s Stadium. The Hammers have been scoring goals for fun at the start of the season, and they are likely to stick to their attacking style of play against Southampton.
Jamaica international Michail Antonio looks unstoppable at the moment, and he is likely to prove a handful for the opposition back-line. The Saints, on the other hand, are eyeing their first win of the process, and given their attacking display in a 2-2 draw with Newcastle United, both teams to score betting option should be considered. Both Armstrong and Smallbone are injured for the hosts, while David Moyes should have a full squad to choose from for Saturday’s clash.
Highlighted Player (Fraser Forster):
Originating from Hexham, Fraser Forster is an English goalkeeper who spent his early career at Newcastle United, but surprisingly did not make a single Premier League appearance during the seven years at St James’ Park. Forster first showed promise during the loan spell with Norwich City, but it was the stint with Celtic that earned him wide acclaim and saw him become an England international.
After spending four years at Parkhead, the highly rated goalkeeper returned to the Premier League to sign for Southampton and he has since acted as club’s number one goalkeeper. Forster has been a member of the England national team since 2013, usually acting as a back up for Joe Hart, making a handful of appearances in international friendlies.
Forster was in the Three Lions squad at the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016, and with quite a few of good years in front of him, the towering goalkeeper should get the opportunity to win few more England caps before he retires from football.
Highlighted Team (West Ham):
West Ham United are an English football club based in East London. The club was founded in 1895 and it has to be noted that the club’s name was Thames Ironworks back then. The Hammers were playing their home games at Upton Park from 1904 until 2016, when they moved to the Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
West Ham have won three FA Cup trophies (1964, 1975 and 1980) and they were runners-up in 1923 and 2006. The capital club finished the 1985/1986 England first division campaign in third place in the standings and that is the club’s highest placing in the top flight. West Ham United have strong rivalries with fellow London clubs, but Tottenham Hotspur are considered the club’s main rivals.
A number of top-class players were part of West Ham in the past and the likes of Joe Cole, Carlos Tevez, Paolo Di Canio, Paul Ince, Julian Dicks, Shaka Hislop, Michael Carrick and Slaven Bilic are some of them.