How will the Hammers react to their Europa League exit?
For much of the 2021/22 season, West Ham United looked set to reach for the stars. The Hammers were permanently in the top third of the table, battling for a top-four finish and, in parallel to the Premier League, also had a good run in the Europa League. Most recently, however, the Irons lost five of their last seven competitive matches.
Not only did the Londoners fail to reach the semi-finals of the Europa League. They are also only seventh in the Premier League. Three games before the end of the season, they are already six points off sixth place. Nevertheless, the Hammers travel to the bottom of the table as clear favourites. Between Norwich and West Ham, the odds are swinging in the direction of the Irons.
The Canaries have once again lived up to their reputation as a lift team and, with four games still to play, have no chance of reaching the bottom of the table. For Dean Smith’s team, the only thing left to do is to leave the Premier League with their heads held high.
We see the greatest value for Norwich against West Ham in betting on a maximum of one team scoring. After all, both teams have been too poor in form and too harmless in front of the opponent’s box lately.
Norwich – Statistics & current form
It is already clear ahead of time that Norwich City will face direct relegation again this summer after seasons of 2004/05, 2015/16 and 2019/20 within 17 years of Premier League promotion.
The last time the Canaries were in the top flight of English football was for three consecutive years between 2011 and 2014. But still: After the last relegation two years ago, the Yellows also returned directly to the Premier League as champions of the Championship.
Fewest wins and fewest goals in the Premier League
After last season’s outstanding campaign in the second tier, however, those in charge would certainly have hoped for more for the 2021/22 season, in which just five of the 34 league games were won.
That is a league-wide negative, as is the fact that no other team in the Premier League has scored more than 22 goals. The Canaries have already failed to score 19 times in league action this season.
Only lost one of their last 18 home games against West Ham
Accordingly, the underdog role of the Yellows is clear after three defeats in a row again recently.
The Canaries also lost their last home game against the Hammers in the Premier League 4-0, but before that the club from the east of England remained unbeaten in 17 consecutive home games against the Irons (nine wins, eight draws). Consequently, the Norfolk County side cannot be completely written off.
Predicted Norwich line-up:
Krul – Williams – Byram – Hanley – Aarons – Normann – Gilmour – Rashica – Lees-Melou – Dowell – Pukki
Last matches played by Norwich:
Premier League
30/04/2022 – Aston Villa 2 – 0 Norwich
23/04/2022 – Norwich 0 – 3 Newcastle United
16/04/2022 – Manchester United 3 – 2 Norwich
10/04/2022 – Norwich 2 – 0 Burnley
02/04/2022 – Brighton 0 – 0 Norwich
West Ham – Statistics & current form
West Ham United Football Club already played an outstanding season last year, which led the men from London’s East End to sixth place in the final table and thus into the Europa League group stage for the first time in the club’s history.
In that competition, the Hammers also sold themselves very dearly. After winning their group in the preliminary round, the Irons eliminated record winners Sevilla, among others, and advanced to the semi-finals after a brilliant 3-0 away win at Olympique Lyon, where they were then eliminated by Eintracht Frankfurt during the week.
Winless in four Premier League games
It was a bitter disappointment for David Moyes’ troops, who had to cope with being shorthanded since the 19th minute of the game.
After all, the Hammers have visibly subordinated Europa League success to Premier League success of late, as recent results show.
The Londoners have now gone winless for four league games in a row (one draw, three defeats) and are now six points off sixth place after a meagre haul of just one point out of a possible 12. This has left West Ham sidelined in the fight for Europe.
Lost five of their last seven competitive games
After the energy-sapping match in Frankfurt, it is all the more difficult for the Londoners to pick themselves up again immediately at the bottom of the table. After all, they have lost five of their last seven games (one win, one draw).
Nevertheless, betting on a three-goal win for the Moyes team at Norwich against West Ham is certainly under a good star. In the last 14 Premier League away games in which the Hammers have played at the current bottom of the table, there has not been a single defeat (ten wins, four draws).
Predicted West Ham line-up:
Fabianski – Fredericks – Cresswell – Zouma – Coufal – Rice – Noble – Benrahma – Lanzini – Fornals – Bowen
Last matches played by West Ham:
Europa League Final Stage
06/05/2022 – Eintracht Frankfurt 1 – 0 West Ham
Premier League
01/05/2022 – West Ham 1 – 2 FC Arsenal
Europa League Final Stage
29/04/2022 – West Ham 1 – 2 Eintracht Frankfurt
Premier League
24/04/2022 – Chelsea FC 1 – 0 West Ham
17/04/2022 – West Ham 1 – 1 Burnley
Norwich – West Ham Direct comparison / H2H balance
Head to head: 22 – 22 – 31
There have been a total of 75 meetings between the two teams so far and the Hammers lead the head-to-head comparison with 31 wins. West Ham are currently unbeaten in six competitive games against Norwich (four wins, two draws).
Norwich – West Ham Tip
With Norwich against West Ham the prediction goes in principle already to the Hammers. But especially because of the sobering Europa League elimination and the recent weak results (five defeats in the last seven matches), it is quite risky to bet on the Londoners. After all, the Irons have won just one of their last 18 league games at Carrow Road.
Significantly more value can be found in betting on a maximum of one team scoring. Both teams have been without a goal of their own on a number of occasions recently. Moreover, in the last three encounters between the two teams, only one side has scored. In addition, the Canaries have failed to score in 19 Premier League matches in the 2021/22 season.
