Bournemouth vs West Ham prediction: ENGLAND: Premier League betting tips on match 2023-08-11 14:00.
After a successful first season back in the top-flight, Bournemouth showed their ruthless streak over the summer, replacing Gary O’Neil with Andoni Iraola to take them into the 2023/24 Premier League (PL) campaign. The Spaniard admits the Cherries “still have work to do” on the pitch and in the transfer market, but he’ll need his side firing on all cylinders from the off as they face four of the “big six” in their first seven games.
The Bournemouth faithful have become used to starting seasons well, avoiding defeat in their opening game since 2017 (W3, D2 since). That record looks set to be tested by the visit of West Ham to the Vitality Stadium, given that the Cherries are winless in the last four H2Hs (D1, L3), with the last three matches in that sequence seeing Bournemouth lose “to nil”.
Despite ending their season by lifting the UEFA Europa Conference League, there’s little cause for optimism at West Ham heading into the new season. After losing captain and star player Declan Rice for a British record transfer fee, the Hammers have struggled in the market themselves, and while arrivals may now be imminent, David Moyes’ future at the club remains uncertain.
A solid start to the season could help turn frowns upside down at the London Stadium, but West Ham have desperately struggled to provide one in recent years, losing six of their last seven opening day fixtures (W1). Five of those defeats saw the Hammers fail to score, while they conceded 4+ goals in three, so the travelling fans will be desperate to see Moyes continue his strong record against Bournemouth of just one loss in his last nine personal H2Hs (W6, D2).
Key battle: A centre midfielder has netted for Bournemouth on the opening day of each of the last three seasons, a record Philip Billing will be looking to keep up after ending last year as the Cherries’ joint-top scorer. Tomáš Souček could be tasked with outshining the Dane given that he assisted a goal in each of the Hammers’ H2H victories last term.
Hot stat: Over the course of the 2022/23 season, only three PL sides won fewer points away from home than West Ham (12).