Who will end their drought at the end of the year?

When it comes to the clash between Watford and West Ham United in the English week after the Christmas holidays on matchday 20 of the Premier League, two of the big losers of recent weeks will also clash. The Hornets have lost all of their last four league games, while the Hammers have also been without another win for five competitive games (one draw, four defeats).

The Hammers, long on course for the Champions League, also suffered a disappointing 3-2 home defeat to in-form Saints on Boxing Day. Nevertheless, ahead of the encounter between Southampton and West Ham, the odds are swinging in the direction of the visitors from London.

Nevertheless, in view of the recent lack of form of both teams, it is extremely difficult to bet on the outcome of the match between Watford and West Ham. However, we see much more value in betting that the match at Vicarage Road will be a high-scoring affair.

After all, the Irons have won their last three league games against the Hornets, scoring a total of ten goals, while both teams have rarely been uneventful of late.

Watford – Statistics & current form

Watford Football Club were relegated from the Premier League in the summer of 2020, but immediately returned to the top flight of English football after a one-year interlude in the Championship.

The Hornets naturally want to re-establish themselves there, but the team from Herfordshire still has a lot of work to do. They have only won four of their 16 league games so far, with only one draw and eleven defeats to their name.

Four defeats in a row

Most recently, coach Claudio Ranieri’s side have been slowed down by a quarantine, which means their last competitive game dates back to 10 December. However, the Hornets have lost their last four league games in a row.

In those four games, Watford scored five goals in all. However, with eleven goals conceded, all four league games were lost. Overall, the promoted team has the fifth-worst defence in the Premier League.

Four of the last five Premier League home games lost

With the Hornets having conceded in all 16 of their Premier League games, Watford’s betting on a high-scoring game against West Ham is correspondingly high. On the other hand, Ranieri’s side have already scored 21 goals, which shows that they have a basic attacking power.

The problem, however, is that the promoted team has recently lost the home strength of the promotion season. They have lost four of their last five Premier League games at home (one win). That’s as many defeats as in the previous 15 home games in England’s top flight combined.

Predicted Watford line-up:
Bachmann – Ngakia – Cathcart – Troost-Ekong – Femenía – Sissoko – Kcka – King – Cleverly – Hernández – Dennis

Last matches played by Watford:

Premier League
12/10 2021 – Brentford 2 – 1 Watford

12/04 2021 – Watford 1 – 3 Manchester City

12/01 2021 – Watford 1 – 2 Chelsea London

11/28 2021 – Leicester 4 – 2 Watford

11/20 2021 – Watford 4 – 1 Manchester United

West Ham – Statistics & current form

West Ham United qualified for the Europa League for the first time last season in the second year under successful coach David Moyes, in which the Hammers also won their preliminary group most recently. As group winners, the traditional club from London has secured a direct place in the last 16 and can certainly hope for the overall victory.

For that to happen, however, the Irons – who until a few weeks ago were among the top four in the league and on course for the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history – will have to put a stop to their current slide as quickly as possible.

Only five points from a possible 21 from their last seven league games

West Ham have failed to win any of their last five competitive matches (one draw, four defeats) and have picked up just five points from a possible 21 in their last seven league games in the Premier League.

It is true that the table of the highest English division is still distorted due to numerous match cancellations. However, with the Hammers currently in sixth place and seven points off fourth place with just one game less, the Champions League train has probably left the Irons behind.

Only lost one of the last twelve league games against promoted sides

The first step is to win another league game in order to stabilise in time for the turn of the year. The Hammers travel to the county of Herfordshire as favourites. After all, only one of the last twelve league games against promoted teams has been lost (seven wins, four draws).

Predicted West Ham line-up:
Fabianski – Masuaku – Diop – Dawson – Coufal – Rice – Soucek – Benrahma – Fornals – Vlasic – Bowen

Last matches played by West Ham:

Premier League
12/26 2021 – West Ham 2 – 3 Southampton

Carabao Cup
12/22 2021 – Tottenham 2 – 1 West Ham

Premier League
12/15 2021 – Arsenal London 2 – 0 West Ham

12/12 2021 – Burnley 0 – 0 West Ham

Europa League Grp. H
12/09 2021 – West Ham 0 – 1 Dinamo Zagreb

Watford – West Ham Direct Comparison / H2H Balance

Head to head: 21 – 13 – 45

There have been a total of 79 meetings between the two teams so far and with 45 wins, the record swings very clearly in the direction of the Hammers, who have won four of the last five Premier League meetings against the Hornets (one defeat).

Watford – West Ham Tip

When it comes to Watford vs West Ham, the prediction has to take into account that things haven’t gone too well for either team recently. While the Hammers have picked up only five points out of a possible 21 from their last seven league games, the Hornets have eight defeats on their record from their last ten Premier League games (two wins). So both teams go into the final competitive game of the 2021 calendar year ticked off.

It is correspondingly difficult to predict the outcome of this duel. In principle, of course, there is more to be said for the established Hammers, who were among the big winners in the first third of the season. However, the goal betting seems to be much more sustainable.

For over 2.5 goals, there are betting odds of 1.90 available for Watford against West Ham, which we play at Bet365 with four units.