A narrow majority of Claret and Hugh readers are expecting a West Ham win this afternoon when the Hammers take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. With almost 1,000 voting just over 50% believe that West Ham will triumph with over 31% predicting a draw and the remaining 19% predicting a Hammers loss to Palace.BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson predicts a 1-1 draw telling the BBC website “Crystal Palace have won their past two home games in the league and FA Cup but their results at Selhurst Park have been iffy this season, and I think a draw is the most likely outcome here”Sky Pundit Paul Merson is not so convinced and is predicting 1-0 loss for West Ham
Merson told Sky Sports website “You never know what you are going to get from West Ham, this is not a massive game. You watched them against Liverpool on MNF and think, ‘How can this team get beaten and concede four to Wimbledon?’ You really have to ask some serious questions about what is going on there, they were a completely different team. No disrespect to Wimbledon, but you should not be letting in four goals against a side bottom of League One. And then you play against a team like Liverpool with their front three and they never really looked like scoring.”
Bookies make Crystal Palace the evens favourite for the home win while a draw or a West Ham win is 5/2.
You can odds of 11/1 for a West Ham 1-0 win or 18/1 for a Hammers 2-0 win.
I don’t believe this will be one of those matches where West Ham perform with an all too familiar poor effort after a massive game like Liverpool . I seriously think the team attitude will be different this time and will get a convincing win over Palace . Paul Merson is right of course when he says you never know what to expect from West Ham , but I think West Ham will prove the pundits very wrong today . I reckon a win with a clean sheet is very much on the cards .
COYHAMMERS