TEAM NEWS
West Ham forward Michail Antonio, who tested positive for Covid-19 last week, is hoping for the all-clear to return.
Vladimir Coufal is available after serving a one-match ban, while Aaron Cresswell could be fit.
Southampton midfielder Stuart Armstrong might feature for the first time since the start of November after recovering from a calf injury.
Che Adams, Adam Armstrong and Fraser Forster have all overcome injury problems.
LAWRO’S PREDICTION
West Ham have hit a bit of a sticky patch and it’s no surprise it has coincided with them suffering a few injuries to key players at a time they have had a lot of games.
It will help the Hammers if Michail Antonio is back to lead the line after a period isolating with Covid, but I can see their bad run continuing.
Southampton are a difficult team to predict and they haven’t won for a while either – but if West Ham don’t play well again and this gets scrappy, then I can see Saints nicking it.
Prediction: 1-2
Lawro’s full predictions v Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal from Tears for Fears
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- West Ham are unbeaten in the past eight Premier League meetings (W6, D2).
- The Hammers have won 19 Premier League matches against Southampton, more than against any other side.
West Ham United
- West Ham have won just one of their past six Premier League fixtures.
- They could go three consecutive league matches without scoring for the first time since June 2020.
- West Ham’s tally of 21 top-flight wins in 2021 is their highest in a calendar year since 1986.
- They have won just one of their last seven league games on Boxing Day (D3, L3).
- Manager David Moyes has only lost two of his 17 Premier League meetings with Southampton (W7, D8).
Southampton
- Southampton have gone six league matches without a win (D3, L3).
- They have conceded 75 Premier League goals in 2021, four shy of the record for a calendar year held by Ipswich Town in 1994 and Newcastle United this year.
- Saints have been ahead in 10 of their 17 league games this season but have dropped 16 points from a winning position.
- All three of Southampton’s Premier League wins this season have been by a 1-0 scoreline.
- Their past eight Premier League goals have come in the first half.
- Southampton have lost only one of their last nine Boxing Day league matches (W6, D2).
- Valentino Livramento could become the first teenager to start each of his club’s opening 18 Premier League fixtures of a season since Micah Richards for Manchester City in 2006-07.
Choose your West Ham starting formation and line-up. It’s up to you how to approach it – you could go for the team you WANT the boss to pick or the one you THINK he will.
Choose your Southampton starting formation and line-up. It’s up to you how to approach it – you could go for the team you WANT the boss to pick or the one you THINK he will.
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