A London Derby is in store at the Emirates on Saturday. It is a Premier League soccer matchup that has produced some entertaining encounters in the recent past. Arsenal and West Ham have different priorities ahead of this fixture with the Gunners aiming for European football, while the Hammers are firmly engaged in a relegation dogfight (10am ET Saturday).
West Ham will be the outsiders but they have upset the odds against these opponents in the past so will there be any value in this clash?
Arsenal vs West Ham Moneyline Odds
Arsenal are a short price to claim the three points and you can back the Gunners at around -200 in places. A typical price for the draw comes in at +333 while a win for West Ham United looks unlikely at around the +450 mark.
The moneyline market may suggest that there can only be one winner but we’ve selected this match because we feel there could be some value. Head-to-head stats are balanced in favor of Arsenal but West Ham have reasonable form and put up a spirited performance against runaway EPL leaders Liverpool last month. Against an inconsistent Arsenal side, there is potential for a share of the points.
AFC vs WHU Prop Bets
Those USA sportsbooks that are quoting markets for individual goal scorers have Arsenal players dominating. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette are bunched together at the top but the value pick could be Eddie Nketiah. Recalled from a productive loan spell at Championship side Leeds United, Nketiah has scored three times in six appearances for the Gunners and we would look to take an anytime goal bet on the striker if the odds are right.
Looking at some of our regular props, ‘both teams to score’ is quoted for this game at a general price of -155 and while that looks short, it should also be safe. For more interesting betting odds, we would suggest looking at ‘over 3.5 total goals’ which drops in at +150. There is enough firepower in both camps to suggest that this mark can be breached and in fact, you may want to go higher and claim over 4.5 which would return as much as +360.
This preview is not going to be that brave but four goals in this fixture is a reasonable conclusion. With that in mind, our preference in the correct score markets is for a 2-2 draw and this is listed at +1400 in places. The make-up of the two sides, coupled with recent results hints at a high scoring encounter and that will be reflected in our Arsenal v West Ham predictions for Saturday’s game.
Reasons There Could Be Goals
West Ham are just outside of the relegation places on goal difference and that could be key to the Hammers’ survival this season. The East London side are in trouble but they have no problems in finding the net and their overall tally of 35 league goals this season is better than Sheffield United who sit in a comfortable eighth place. Included in that overall record are eight goals from their last four and if West Ham can maintain that ratio, they will give the Gunners a battle.
Clearly the problems for David Moyes’ men lay at the back end of the pitch and a leaky defense that has let in 49 goals across the EPL campaign. Can Arsenal capitalize on this situation and take all three points? The Gunners have those big-name strikers but they have relied on the return of Nketiah to make them a more potent force in front of goal. It’s the question that holds the key to this game and it does also suggest that we may see plenty of goals at the Emirates.
Our Preview’s Arsenal vs West Ham Predictions & Picks Verdict
Our prediction for this game is for an entertaining, attacking encounter that could ultimately end in a high scoring draw. We’ve touched on West Ham’s form and our suspicions tend to be backed up by Arsenal’s recent results.
In their last five matches, Mikel Arteta’s side have won four and lost just one and over that period, they have scored 11 and conceded just three. That’s an indicator that new coach Arteta has made his team tighter at the back but they will receive a tougher test in this contest.
In order to survive, Hammers’ coach David Moyes is going on the offensive with a side that is capable of scoring from anywhere on the pitch. This may not be a result prediction that many will share but even if you don’t agree, you should still be expecting plenty of goals in this fixture. Take all three tips or alternatively, focus on the prop bets only as we’re aiming for an entertaining and profitable 90 minutes at the Emirates on Saturday. These are the Arsenal vs West Ham predictions for this preview:
- Bet the draw @ best odds of +335 on the moneyline with Bovada.
- Go over 3.5 goals @ +150 with Bovada.
- Take both teams to score @ -155 with Bovada or Intertops.
Matt Harris is a golf and soccer expert for USA Betting. His other area of specialist knowledge is cricket. He is well known in sports journalism and contributes articles to a plethora of big-name websites and media outlets. Titles that he writes or has written for include: Betfair, BetVictor, Unibet & Just Bookies.