West Ham vs Sheffield Utd prediction: ENGLAND: Premier League betting tips on match 2023-09-29 14:00.
West Ham United manager David Moyes is demanding that his players cut out the “shabby” defensive errors as they look for a return to winning ways. The Scot was frustrated at some of the goals the Hammers conceded as they were beaten 3-1 by Liverpool last weekend, a result which marked their second successive Premier League (PL) defeat.
Even so, it has still been a positive start to the season for Moyes’ men, who have picked up ten or more points from their opening six fixtures for only the fifth time in their last 14 top-flight campaigns. They will be hoping to extend that tally at the London Stadium, where they have won five of their last six outings (L1), despite only keeping one clean sheet over that period.
That form might make supporters of visiting Sheffield United wince, given their side sit rock bottom of the table with just one point from six outings (D1, L5). The most recent of those games was a club-record 8-0 battering at the hands of Newcastle, which means the Blades have already conceded an eye-watering 17 goals, the leakiest defence in the division.
As such, the pressure is mounting on manager Paul Heckingbottom, who guided the club back to the PL last season and admits he was “upset” by the manner of their performance. He will therefore be expecting a vast improvement in the capital, and given the Steel City club have been defeated in just four of the last 16 H2Hs (W6, D6), history suggests his side have some hope of picking up a first PL win since May 2021.
Key battle: West Ham’s James Ward-Prowse, who is one free-kick goal away from equaling David Beckham’s PL record of 18, has won each of his four league meetings with the Blades. Midfield rival Gustavo Hamer has scored in the second half of Sheffield United’s two PL away games this season, but both ended in 2-1 defeats.
Hot streak: West Ham’s last four games at the London Stadium have all ended 3-1, with three of those fixtures resulting in a home win.