West Ham vs Southampton prediction: ENGLAND: Premier League betting tips on match 2025-04-18 14:00.
[p]Despite a spirited display at Premier League leaders Liverpool, West Ham succumbed to a 2-1 defeat which extended their winless run to five matches (D2, L3). With no threat of relegation, Hammers fans have long craved the end of this miserable season that sees them enter the round in 17th, which is their lowest position at this stage of a campaign since they were relegated in 2010/11.[/p]
[p]Graham Potter has failed to work any magic with this squad, as only the bottom three have accumulated fewer points than their 12 since his appointment in January (W3, D3, L6). An opportunity presents itself here as Southampton visit, with West Ham having lost just one of the last 12 Premier League H2Hs (W8, D3), while they’ve also won all four home games this term against sides beginning the weekend 14th or lower.[/p]
[p]With their relegation – the earliest in Premier League history – already confirmed, all that remains for Southampton to play for is surpassing the lowest points total in competition history. Simon Rusk’s men sit just a point shy of Derby’s measly 11-point haul from 2007/08, but reasons for even a shred of optimism remain slim after they were beaten 3-0 by Aston Villa last week, despite goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale saving two penalties![/p]
[p]Their 81% loss rate is the highest of any side in a top-flight season in history, and an away assignment points to that getting even worse as Southampton have won only once on the road in the Premier League since February 2023 (D4, L18). The Saints have also been beaten on five of their last six top-flight visits to West Ham (W1), conceding exactly three goals four times in that sequence.[/p]
[p]Key battle: Potter may be tempted to hand Niclas Füllkrug his first start since his first game in charge, considering that he scored in West Ham’s last home game and assisted the winner in the reverse fixture. More heroics may be required from Southampton stopper Ramsdale, yet only against Liverpool (26) and Manchester United (25) has he conceded more goals than against the Hammers (20).[/p]
[p]Hot streak: None of the last 20 Premier League H2Hs on West Ham soil have ended level (WHU: W15, L5).[/p]
[p][i]Written by Ryan Fisher[/i][/p]