Tag Archives: Hammers

Hammers out to nail Latics

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premier league logoAfter a fairly disappointing week for the Premier League clubs in Europe there will be plenty of teams looking to make amends domestically on Saturday.

Arsenal and Manchester City are looking to bounce back from defeats in the Champions League, while Reading, Aston Villa and Wigan are eager to get back to winning ways.

Arsenal v QPR 3pm

The Gunners have come back from the international break a different team to the one who showed great determination to recover from a goal down to beat West Ham 3-1 before the two-week hiatus.

Back-to-back defeats against Norwich and Schalke have seen Arsene Wenger’s squad fall under the spotlight again, with a few pundits writing off their chances of winning any silverware or finishing in the top four.

A visit from the Premier League’s bottom club should be just the confidence boost Arsenal need but QPR have shown signs of recovery in recent weeks after a horrendous start.

The R’s will have been frustrated not to have taken all three points against Everton last week, a clear sign they are making gradual progress under Mark Hughes.

Summer signings Junior Hoilett, Esteban Granero and Julio Cesar are starting to show their class and Rangers could give Arsenal a few problems.

The Gunners don’t look like scoring right now and if QPR can frustrate the home side for the opening 45 minutes then the Emirates Stadium faithful are likely to turn on their team pretty quickly.

While a win for the west London club at 8/1 isn’t out of the question the draw looks the more likely outcome.

Match bet – Draw @ 4/1

Stoke v Sunderland 3pm

This is unlikely to be a game for the football purist, with plenty of hustle and bustle the order of the day.

Sunderland are the joint-lowest scorers in the league this season with just six goals to their name, five of which have come courtesy of Steven Fletcher. It looks like being a bit of a slog for Martin O’Neill’s men this year unless they can discover a route to goal quickly.

Despite conceding four at Old Trafford last weekend Stoke have proven a tough nut to crack, especially at home.

They have conceded just one goal in the first three matches and won last time out at the Britannia Stadium against Swansea City. The Potters also have a good record at home against Sunderland, winning three of the last four.

With that in mind a Stoke win at 19/20 looks to be the way forward, although the 0-0 draw looks a tempting bet as well at 15/2 given the two clubs history in front of goal.

Match bet – Stoke to win 1-0 @ 6/1.

Wigan v West Ham 3pm

The Hammers will have unhappy memories of their last trip to the DW Stadium having been relegated by the Latics on that occasion.

They were also beaten 4-1 by Wigan in the Capital One Cup earlier this season, although both teams fielded much changed teams for that match.

Despite the recent bad history against Roberto Martinez’s men, West Ham will be confident of continuing their excellent run of form this weekend.

Wigan are going through their usual early-season slump and are yet to win on their own patch, drawing two and losing the other couple of matches at the DW Stadium.

In contrast, the Hammers picked up their first away win of the season at QPR last time they were on their travels.

Sam Allardyce’s men were excellent on the road in the Championship last season and at 23/10 are too big a price to ignore to pick up a win on Saturday.

Match bet – West Ham win @ 23/10

Elsewhere, Manchester City should get back to winning ways against Swansea, while Paul Lambert could bring Norwich’s mini-revival to a halt when Aston Villa take on the Canaries.

As for Reading against Fulham – barring an inspirational performance from Dimitar Berbatov – it game has draw written all over it.

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Hammers to win new boys battle

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The new Premier League campaign is just over five weeks away and, while the main focus of attention will no doubt be on who are the title contenders, the three newly-promoted sides have their own mission to survive for more than one season in top-flight.

Last season marked a rare occurrence as it was only the second time in Premier League history that all three new boys survived as Norwich and Swansea flourished to seal mid-table finishes, while QPR survived relegation on a dramatic final day.

This season promises to be another challenge for the clubs coming up from the Championship as we look at who has the potential to finish top dog.

Reading came from nowhere to romp to the Championship title against the odds last season as boss Brian McDermott helped the Royals recover from their 2011 play-off final hangover in the opening half of the campaign to surge into top spot following an impressive post New Year winning run.

McDermott has wasted no time in bolstering his squad with Pavel Pogrebnyak, who scored six goals in 12 games on loan at Fulham last season, former England full-back Nicky Shorey and midfielder Danny Guthrie all adding Premier League experience to the ranks.

It will be a tall order for the Royals to survive (4/6 To Stay Up), but we feel the quality of players McDermott is adding to an already settled squad should keep their heads above water next term.

Southampton went up in the second automatic position after Nigel Adkins’ men suffered a slight case of the jitters when battling it out with the Royals for the title at the end of last season.

Adkins’ side were impressive at St Mary’s last season and they will be hoping to make it a fortress again as they bid to get a foot-hold in the Premier League.

The Saints chief will be banking on last season’s top scorer Rickie Lambert to take his prolific goal-scoring form into the top flight and hope £7million signing Jay Rodriguez can also make the step up.

Steve Davies will add some Premier League experience into the midfield after joining from Rangers, while Adkins is still looking for more new faces to further bolster a squad which could do with some more top-flight nous.

West Ham managed to bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, but had to do it the hard way in the end-of-season play-offs when they overcame Blackpool at Wembley.

Sam Allardyce’s men choked the most, particularly at Upton Park, in the second half of last season and that cost them automatic promotion. However, they rediscovered their form in the run-in and play-offs to seal a deserved return to the top-flight.

Allardyce’s squad possessed plenty of Premier League quality last season as the Hammers held on to the majority of their top players in order to give themselves the best chance of promotion and it paid dividends.

Experienced goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen will more then compensate for Rob Green’s departure to QPR on a free transfer, while midfielder Mohamed Diame has also arrived from Wigan and George McCartney’s loan move from Sunderland has been made a permanent arrangement.

The Hammers have Matt Taylor, Kevin Nolan, Carlton Cole and Mark Noble, who have all performed well in the Premier League in the past, while Allardyce will hope Ricardo Vaz Te, Nicky Maynard and Sam Baldock can make the step up with ease.

Despite finishing third, we feel Hammers (4/11 To Stay Up) look the best bet to cope with the transition of being back in the Premier League given that their absence was only a season, while the Saints and Royals have been missing for seven and four years respectively.

Big Sam has proven himself capable of keeping clubs in the top flight with Bolton and Blackburn so expect the Hammers to come out on top in the battle of the news boys, while only Southampton (5/4 to be relegated) are likely to be fall guys and drop back to the Championship come next May.

Prediction: West Ham Top Promoted Team @ 11/8

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Hammers to win battle of new boys

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The new Premier League campaign is just over five weeks away and, while the main focus of attention will no doubt be on who are the title contenders, the three newly-promoted sides have their own mission to survive for more than one season in top-flight.

Last season marked a rare occurrence as it was only the second time in Premier League history that all three new boys survived as Norwich and Swansea flourished to seal mid-table finishes, while QPR survived relegation on a dramatic final day.

This season promises to be another challenge for the clubs coming up from the Championship as we look at who has the potential to finish top dog.

Reading came from nowhere to romp to the Championship title against the odds last season as boss Brian McDermott helped the Royals recover from their 2011 play-off final hangover in the opening half of the campaign to surge into top spot following an impressive post New Year winning run.

McDermott has wasted no time in bolstering his squad with Pavel Pogrebnyak, who scored six goals in 12 games on loan at Fulham last season, former England full-back Nicky Shorey and midfielder Danny Guthrie all adding Premier League experience to the ranks.

It will be a tall order for the Royals to survive (4/6 To Stay Up), but we feel the quality of players McDermott is adding to an already settled squad should keep their heads above water next term.

Southampton went up in the second automatic position after Nigel Adkins’ men suffered a slight case of the jitters when battling it out with the Royals for the title at the end of last season.

Adkins’ side were impressive at St Mary’s last season and they will be hoping to make it a fortress again as they bid to get a foot-hold in the Premier League.

The Saints chief will be banking on last season’s top scorer Rickie Lambert to take his prolific goal-scoring form into the top flight and hope £7million signing Jay Rodriguez can also make the step up.

Steve Davies will add some Premier League experience into the midfield after joining from Rangers, while Adkins is still looking for more new faces to further bolster a squad which could do with some more top-flight nous.

West Ham managed to bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, but had to do it the hard way in the end-of-season play-offs when they overcame Blackpool at Wembley.

Sam Allardyce’s men choked the most, particularly at Upton Park, in the second half of last season and that cost them automatic promotion. However, they rediscovered their form in the run-in and play-offs to seal a deserved return to the top-flight.

Allardyce’s squad possessed plenty of Premier League quality last season as the Hammers held on to the majority of their top players in order to give themselves the best chance of promotion and it paid dividends.

Experienced goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen will more then compensate for Rob Green’s departure to QPR on a free transfer, while midfielder Mohamed Diame has also arrived from Wigan and George McCartney’s loan move from Sunderland has been made a permanent arrangement.

The Hammers have Matt Taylor, Kevin Nolan, Carlton Cole and Mark Noble, who have all performed well in the Premier League in the past, while Allardyce will hope Ricardo Vaz Te, Nicky Maynard and Sam Baldock can make the step up with ease.

Despite finishing third, we feel Hammers (4/11 To Stay Up) look the best bet to cope with the transition of being back in the Premier League given that their absence was only a season, while the Saints and Royals have been missing for seven and four years respectively.

Big Sam has proven himself capable of keeping clubs in the top flight with Bolton and Blackburn so expect the Hammers to come out on top in the battle of the news boys, while only Southampton (5/4 to be relegated) are likely to be fall guys and drop back to the Championship come next May.

Prediction: West Ham Top Promoted Team @ 11/8

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Hammers to book Wembley place

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Rovers manager Sam AllardyceAfter an exciting first leg in Wales on Thursday, West Ham and  Cardiff City resume their rivalry on Monday night to see who will make it through to the play-off final at Wembley (West Ham 8/13, draw 13/5, Cardiff 7/2).

The Hammers take a 2-0 lead into the game thanks to a Jack Collison brace but know they cannot afford to take anything for granted having already lost to the Bluebirds at home this season.

After the disappointment of missing out on automatic promotion on the final day of the campaign, Sam Allardyce’s side bounced back in style at the Cardiff City Stadium as they dominated their Welsh opponents.

However, due to their defensive tactics, they sometimes struggle at home and have dropped an incredible 28 points at Upton Park this season and this is something that will surely play on their minds going into the game.

Much of their fine play in the first leg was down to the ability of striker Carlton Cole (11/10 to score at anytime) to retain possession and allow his team-mates to find space in and around him. The former England man has come in for some serious criticism this season but enjoys the big stage and will once again be looking to play a big part on Monday.

Cardiff have admitted themselves that they were woeful in the first leg and were lucky to escape with just a two-goal deficit.

Malky Mackay’s side were tipped to cause an upset against the Hammers thanks to their recent strong form but they simply failed to produce when it mattered, something that has plagued them in recent years after a number of play-off heartbreaks.

One of the players who disappointed in the first game was playmaker Peter Whittingham (10/3 to score at anytime) whose performances appear to mirror the fortunes of his team. The 27-year-old has long been hailed as the Championship’s most skilful player and was even tipped for a move to Monday’s opponents when they were still in the Premier League.

However, nothing went right for him on Thursday and he was comfortably outplayed by his Hammers counterpart Mark Noble who had one of his best games of the season.

Whittingham will be desperate to rediscover his composure and knows he can get the better of Noble, having dominated him in the sides’ previous meeting at Upton Park on the opening weekend of the season.

As most semi-finals are, this will surely be a cagey affair with both teams desperate not to give anything away. However, West Ham will probably go through and, although they’re likely to concede, Cole’s form and their two-goal first-leg advantage should be enough for them to book their place at Wembley (West Ham 18/1 to win 2-1).

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Hammers eye play-off advantage

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The Championship Play-Offs get underway on Thursday evening with West Ham looking to continue their strong away form from the run-in to secure a positive first leg result against Cardiff City in South Wales.

Sam Allardyce’s side were the pre-season automatic promotion favourites along with big-spending Leicester City, but Reading and Southampton upset the odds to secure their respective places in the Premier League next season.

The Hammers, who had to settle for third place, at least have another opportunity to return to the top-flight (13/8 – Promotion) at the first attempt via the lottery of the play-offs – but it will not be an easy mission.

First up is a trip to the Cardiff City Stadium to face Malky Mackay’s men, who only secured the sixth and final play-off spot on Saturday thanks to a come-from-behind 2-1 win at Crystal Palace.

The Bluebirds are in a decent run of form with just one defeat in 13 league games since, ironically, West Ham won 2-0 in South Wales in early March.

However, the majority of their points were picked up on the road with just one win, five draws and a 3-0 loss to Hull City in the last seven outings in front of their home fans.

Mackay will hope his players can find their feet in the Welsh capital at just the right time on Thursday as the Bluebirds have endured two successive seasons of play-off misery with a Wembley defeat against Blackpool in 2010 followed up by a semi-final loss at the hands of Reading 12 months ago.

It is a very familiar story for the Hammers, who will no doubt feel confident of securing a good result on Thursday having won three and drawn three of their final six away games of the domestic campaign in a 13-match run of form which, bizarrely, has been identical to Cardiff’s since their last meeting.

Allardyce, who should have a fully fit squad to choose from for the game, saw his team’s automatic promotion aspirations damaged by their home form in which they failed to win in five successive matches between February 4 and April 14.

Crucially, the Londoners looked to have found a remedy for their homesickness in the nick of time as they won their final two matches at Upton Park – 6-0 against Brighton and a final day 2-1 victory against Hull City on Saturday.

As far as the past season’s head-to-head record goes, both sides won on their travels with Cardiff securing a win at Upton Park on the opening weekend of the campaign and, as mentioned earlier, the Hammers won 2-0 in Wales.

Therefore it is a play-off encounter which could depend on which team does not fluff their lines on home soil.

Throw into the mix the fact Cardiff were one of the Championship’s draw specialists with 18 stalemates from 46 league games, while West Ham drew 14, and it all points to a very nervous and tense battle which just about sums up the play-offs.

Looking ahead to Thursday’s game, we would not be surprised if the Hammers exploited Cardiff’s home frailties and just edged the contest to take a lead, albeit a slender one, back to London for next week’s second leg.

Prediction: West Ham Away 90 Minutes @ 13/8
Value Bet: West Ham To Win 1-0 Correct Score @ 13/2.

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All or nothing for Hammers

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Having seen their place for automatic promotion places slip away, West Ham United must take all three points against Leicester City on Monday if they want to stand any chance of avoiding the play-offs (Leicester 13/8, draw 12/5, West Ham 8/5).

A defeat to Championship winners Reading and draws with Bristol City and Birmingham in recent weeks have really dented the Hammers’ hopes of making a swift return to the Premier League, following relegation from the top flight last season.

Manager Sam Allardyce has had plenty of money to spend but too many mistakes at home this term have really cost the London outfit.

Thankfully for the former Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers boss, their clash on Monday against the Foxes is not at Upton Park.

The Hammers have a three-pronged attack which will be looking to cause the Leicester defence problems away from the pressure of their home fans in the capital.

Carlton Cole and Ricardo Vaz Te (11/8 to score anytime) have 12 and 10 goals this season respectively, with the latter proving to be decent signing, since moving from Barnsley in the January transfer window.

Backed up by attacking midfielder Kevin Nolan (7/1 first goalscorer) making runs from the middle of the park and chipping in goals, the former Newcastle United star also has 12 strikes to his name this term and is certainly worth a look at for first goalscorer at the King Power Stadium.

West Ham go into his game on the back of a frustrating 1-1 draw with Bristol City, which gave Southampton a chance to claim that second automatic promotion spot, which they squandered in a 2-1 defeat to Middleborough.

The Hammers will be looking to keep up the pressure on the Saints but it will not be easy against the Foxes on Monday.

Leicester were touted as potential favourites to earn promotion back to the Premier League this season, having spent plenty in the summer.

Manager Nigel Pearson has seen has side fall out of the race for the play-offs and the squad at the King Power might already have their eyes set on a push for promotion next season.

The Foxes go into their penultimate Championship game on the back of a drab goalless draw with Burnley in their last outing.

That game epitomised where Pearson’s side are at at the moment, with things not clicking in the east midlands.

Leicester still have some quality players in their side and expect the likes of Jermaine Beckford and David Nugent to get chances in this game.

With West Ham being the side with something to play for and the fact Allardyce’s men are away from the pressure cooker that is Upton Park at the moment, the Hammers should take all three points at the King Power Stadium.

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Hammers out to avoid Hornets’ sting

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Midweek Championship matches usually throw up a few surprise results but with three of the four teams in action on Wednesday desperate for the three points in the battle for promotion surely there won’t be any shocks on the cards?

West Ham will fancy their chances against Watford, while Cardiff will be looking to bounce back from defeat to the Hammers against Brighton.

West Ham v Watford 7:45pm

Depending on how Tuesday night’s matches go West Ham could go top of the Championship with a win over Watford. The Hammers look to be building a head of steam for the final 13 matches of the season, losing just once in their last eight outings.

Sunday’s win in Cardiff was as professional a performance as you are likely to see in the Championship, West Ham taking full advantage of a demoralised Bluebirds team to pick up another three points. Away from home Sam Allardyce’s men have been performing well recently, the win in Wales coming after they had put Blackpool to the sword.

At home though West Ham have drawn the last two – against Southampton and Crystal Palace. Maybe the pressure placed on them by the expectant West Ham supporters is taking its toll? Whatever it is, it will give Watford hope of causing an upset.

The Hornets are what you would call a typical Championship team, unpredictable, and on their day capable of beating anyone. Before last Saturday’s remarkable 3-2 win over Burnley, Watford had been stuffed by Crystal Palace and Southampton. Manager Sean Dyche will hope the victory over the Clarets will have restored his team’s confidence and that they will at least put on a show at Upton Park.

West Ham are 4/7 to beat Watford , who have won just three times away from Vicarage Road all season. However, it won’t be easy and draw half-time/ West Ham full time result at 3/1 should appeal. Watford won on their last visit to Upton Park and if you expect them to cause another upset you can get them at 5/1.

Brighton v Cardiff City 7:45pm

Based on Sunday’s defeat to West Ham, Cardiff’s Carling Cup exploits could have a detrimental effect on their hopes of being promoted. The Bluebirds have lost four of the last five in the league, and rather than galvanise the squad their fine performance in the final against Liverpool appears to have taken a lot out of the players.

Malky Mackay has conceded a top-two finish is beyond Cardiff’s reach and has called on his team to get their act together or risk missing out on the play-offs. Victory for the Welsh side would lift them back into the play-off places but it won’t be easy at the Amex Stadium.

Brighton’s away form might be patchy but at home they are a tough nut to crack, losing just one of the last 11 on their own patch and keeping clean sheets in four of the last five on the south coast. The Seagulls could be in the play-offs had it not been for a late El Hadji Diouf penalty rescuing a point for Doncaster and they will be keen to make amends.

Brighton were excellent in their last outing at home against in-form Ipswich, beating the Tractor Boys 3-0. Gus Poyet seems to have rediscovered some of that gold dust which gave them such a flying start in the Championship and they will be confident of picking apart Cardiff.

Brighton are 11/8 to win at home and that looks a solid enough bet, as does Craig Mackail-Smith to score first at 13/2. The Scottish striker recently ended his goal drought and has got two in the last two, prompting thoughts he could be about to go on a run of finding the back of the net. You can get 40/1 on Mackail-Smith as first goalscorer and Brighton to win 2-0 if you are feeling extra brave.

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Tricky Seaside trip for Hammers

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There are three important matches in the Championship on Tuesday evening which will all have a big impact on the promotion race, with the pick of the games coming at Bloomfield Road where Blackpool and West Ham go head to head.

Blackpool v West Ham (8pm)

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce takes his side north to the Lancashire coast for a tough assignment against Ian Holloway’s Tangerines looking to make a swift return to the top of the Championship after Southampton knocked them off their perch with a 4-0 win against Derby on Saturday.

However, they will have to try and pick up the maximum points without the suspended pairing of skipper Kevin Nolan and Matt Taylor following their respective recent red cards.

It will be a blow for Allardyce, who has seen his side struggle on the road in recent weeks as they have won one, drawn one and lost four of their previous six away matches.

Blackpool, who are five points behind West Ham going into the game and can go third with a win, are unbeaten in their last six on home soil with three wins and three draws, so will no doubt be confident ahead of this showdown.

The Seasiders have a much better record in the overall meetings between the two sides, but the Hammers thrashed them 4-0 at Upton Park earlier in this campaign and triumphed 3-1 in last season’s Premier League clash at the same venue.

A close match looks to be in the offing and it is difficult to pick a winner so a draw is perhaps the likely outcome.

Prediction: Draw 90 Minutes @ 9/4
Value Bet: West Ham/Draw HT/FT @ 12/1

Barnsley v Birmingham (7.45pm)

Chris Hughton takes his high-flying Blues to South Yorkshire looking to cement their place in the play-off places with three points following an impressive 1-1 draw at Chelsea in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

A win could take Birmingham up to third if Blackpool fail to defeat West Ham and they head to Oakwell in great form on the road with four wins from their last six outings, with 17 goals scored and just three conceded.

It won’t be easy against Keith Hill’s Tykes, who defeated crisis club Portsmouth 2-0 on Saturday and are set to hand Stephen Dawson and David Cotterill first appearances.

Barnsley are in mid-table and have won three and lost three of their last six at home so it could be a case of waiting to see which team turns up on the night.

Regardless of that, we suggest the Blues will have too much for the Yorkshiremen and should continue their march up the Championship table.

Prediction: Away Win 90 Minutes @ 11/10
Value Bet: Birmingham To Win 3-1 Correct Score @ 16/1

Millwall v Middlesbrough (7.45pm)

Middlesbrough head down to south London refreshed following a weekend off and no doubt buoyed by their first win of 2012 against Nottingham Forest last Tuesday which has left them handily placed in eighth spot and just one point off the play-off places.

Tony Mowbray’s side had been in the top six all season until a disastrous January saw them slip down the Championship table.

However, Boro seem to have settled the ship of late with the win against Forest following on from draws against Crystal Palace and Leicester in the league.

Barry Robson is set to return from a hand injury and could replace midfielder Kevin Thomson who starts a two-match suspension after his red card against Forest.

The game will come too soon for Nicky Bailey, while Scott McDonald is a long-term absentee with a knee injury.

Millwall come into the game on the back of their FA Cup fifth-round defeat at the hands of Bolton at the New Den looking for a win to move nine points clear of the relegation places.

However, with just one win and two draws from their last six in all competitions on home soil it is not good reading for Kenny Jackett’s men.

The Londoners are boosted by their great overall record against Boro, with 13 home wins and only four defeats from 23 previous home encounters. But Boro will take comfort from their 3-2 win in last season’s corresponding fixture.

Another difficult game to call and, with both sides being amongst the Championship’s draw specialists, it would not be a surprise if they share the spoils on Tuesday.

Prediction: Draw 90 Minutes @ 9/4
 Value Bet: 1-1 Draw Correct Score @ 11/2

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Hammers out to sink Saints

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Tuesday night sees a host of games taking place in the Championship, but one game that sticks out above the rest sees top of the table West Ham United take on second place Southampton (West Ham 11/10, draw 23/10, Southampton 5/2).

The Hammers will go into this game well rested, after their game over the weekend at Peterborough fell foul of the freezing conditions the UK endured the past week. West Ham’s last outing saw them record a hard fought 2-1 victory over arch rivals Millwall in a fiery London derby.

Manager Sam Allardyce has stamped his authority on this side and, although they might not be playing in the ‘West Ham style’, they have been getting the results, as they sit a point above the Saints with a game in hand over the South Coast outfit.

It has been the same old names bagging in the goals for the Hammers, with former Chelsea striker Carlton Cole their top goalscorer in the Championship, with nine to his name so far. West Ham (10/11 Championship outright) managed to keep hold of the 28-year-old in the January transfer window and will be looking for the England international to be a threat at Upton Park on Tuesday.

New signing Nicky Maynard will be pushing for his first start for the Hammers following his move from Bristol City and he will cause the Saints defence problems if he features.

As for Southampton (4/1 Championship outright) they head into this game on the back of a comprehensive 2-0 victory over Burnley at St Mary’s, with their new striker Billy Sharp getting his first goal for the club since his switch from Doncaster Rovers. Alongside top goalscorer Rickie Lambert, who has scored 20 goals in the Championship this term, Sharp should thrive with his new employers and the pair will be a handful for the West Ham defence.

Neither side wants to lose this game and with little to choose between the pair, this one might be a draw at Upton Park.

Elsewhere, Blackpool have not lost a league game in 2012 and they will be looking to continue that record when they travel across the Pennines to take on Doncaster Rovers at the Keepmoat Stadium (Doncaster 2/1, draw 12/5, Blackpool 13/10). The Tangerines currently find themselves fifth in the table as they push for a swift return back to the Premier League following relegation last season.

Blackpool come up against a Doncaster side who have not played this month, after seeing their last two games against Reading and Crystal Palace cancelled due to frozen pitches. With the loss of their top goalscorer Sharp, the Yorkshire outfit might well struggle for goals and with the Seasiders looking strong in defence, the visitors should come out on top in this one.

Tuesday will also see struggling Nottingham Forest make the long trip to the North East to take on ninth place Middlesbrough (Boro 5/6, draw 5/2, Forest 10/3). Forest battled to a 1-1 draw with Watford in their last outing, with points vital to the East Midlands outfit if they are to get out of the relegation zone.

Manager Steve Cotterill will be pleased to be taking on a Boro side who are not playing their best football of the season after a strong start. Tony Mowbray’s side will still be a tough prospect at the Riverside and could well get back to form with a win over a Forest team who continue to struggle in front of goal.

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Hammers to boost title hopes

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The Championship has been possibly the most exciting league in Britain this year and despite West Ham (10/11 Championship outright) currently holding a four point lead, they know that any slip-ups are sure to be punished by the chasing pack.

That slip-up could come this weekend as Sam Allardyce and his men travel to London Road to take on Peterborough, who have their own agenda as they look to avoid relegation following their promotion in the summer (Peterborough 13/5, draw 5/2, West Ham evens).

Darren Ferguson’s side have been solid rather than spectacular this season but are currently in a bit of a slump having not won since beating Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day. However, they always seem to raise their game against the top teams and will be looking to break their streak against the Hammers.

Key to their chances will be playmaker George Boyd, who has long been hailed as one of the best players outside the Premier League. The Scot has the ability to unlock any defence and West Ham will have to be wary of his threat whenever the Posh have got the ball.

The Hammers themselves have disappointed recently but have somehow maintained their position atop the table and now look almost certain to earn promotion back to the Premier League.

Sam Allardyce’s side once again proved their credentials by beating local rivals Millwall last Saturday, despite going down to ten men early on after captain Kevin Nolan’s sending off.

Nolan’s absence will pile more pressure on stand-in captain Mark Noble, who was the architect of last Saturday’s victory. He’ll once gain look to control the game and is sure to be at everything positive for his side.

Noble’s quality could prove the difference at London Road and the Hammers will be confident of success but its sure to be a close game (West Ham 7/1 to win 2-1).

Another game that jumps out from the Championship on Saturday is the clash at the Walkers Stadium which sees Leicester take on Cardiff (Leicester 5/4, draw 9/4, Cardiff 7/4).

The big-spending Foxes have disappointed this season after bringing in a number of high-profile players, while Cardiff have once again confounded the critics and are challenging for promotion to the top flight.

The East Midlands club have often struggled at the back but seem to have settled down in recent times with Sean St Ledger stepping into partner Matt Mills. The duo will be vital on Saturday and will be looking to establish themselves as the first choice defensive pair ahead of Sol Bamba’s return from the African Cup of Nations.

Cardiff’s game is based on moving the ball quickly on the ground and central to this is midfielder Peter Whittingham, who has once again proved himself to be his side’s key player. The former Aston Villa man will be looking forward to testing himself against some of the best players in Championship.

However, home advantage should prove enough and a win could help Nigel Pearson’s side make a late run for the promotion places (Leicester 8/1 to win 2-1).

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