West Ham Vs Leeds United Could Shape The Outcome Of Both Team's Season

The two sides collide for the second time in a week when they meet in the Premier League on Sunday
06:55, 16 Jan 2022

As West Ham United square-up to face Leeds United at the London Stadium, this afternoon you may think you have gone back in time by a week, as this exact fixture was played in the FA Cup third round and was also televised – we still don’t know why. 

As both sides gear up for another 90 minutes of football against each other, there is a lot riding on this match for each club. For the Hammers, they have climbed back into the top four thanks to three wins on the bounce and they will look to keep it that way. 

They know teams around them have games in hand but they will want to focus on getting as many points on the board as possible as to extend their gap between the chasing pack. The camp will be full of confidence after their recent run and also the form of attacker Jarrod Bowen.

The 25-year-old forward has been exceptional in recent weeks, and so has Argentine Manuel Lanzini, who has forced himself back into the starting lineup. But with Bowen, his stats have been very impressive as he now has eight goals and eight assists this season – the most of any English player, while five goals and seven assists have come in the Premier League.

Having scored against today’s opponents last weekend, he will be eager to wreak havoc on Marcelo Bielsa’s backline once again.

Another thing that will have Leeds fans worried is David Moyes’ excellent record against them. He has the best win percentage (86%) of any other manager against the Yorkshire outfit with a minimum of five fixtures. The Scotsman has won six out of the seven games he has faced them in as a manager. 

Not only will the Whites look to put an end to Moyes’ tactical dominance over them, they will want to avenge their FA Cup exit. In the league, Bielsa’s team are currently eight points clear of the relegation zone after beating struggling Burnley last time out, which has helped shield them from immediate danger, but Leeds have suffered several key injuries this term, which haven’t been helped by Bielsa’s desire to have a small squad and they are at risk of falling into the trap. 

But, should they put a strong run of results together they could pull themselves away from the danger, even though both Burnley and Watford have games in hand on them. After all it’s not about the games in hand you have, it’s how many points you take from them that matter. 

There is certainly a lot at stake in this match for both sides as it has the potential to shape the rest of their seasons and we are certainly going to be in for an enthralling clash in east London.

West Ham vs Leeds United Match Odds*

*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds courtesy of Betfred

x
Suggested Searches:
The Sportsman
Manchester United
Liverpool
Manchester City
Premier League
Sportsman HQ
72-76 Cross St
Manchester M2 4JG
We will not ask you to provide any personal information when using The Sportsman website. You may see advertisement banners on the site, and if you choose to visit those websites, you will accept the terms and conditions and privacy policy applicable to those websites. The link below directs you to our Group Privacy Policy, and our Data Protection Officer can be contacted by email at: [email protected]

All original material is Copyright © 2019 by The Sportsman Communications Ltd.
Other material is copyright their respective owners.