West Ham v Reading: Fast starting Hammers can blow Royals away
Published:Reading visit West Ham United for their last Premier League outing for the time being and the 19/5 outsiders’ attempts at salvaging some pride may be in vain.
The Royals can still suffer the ignominy of finishing bottom should they lose and Queens Park Rangers win at Liverpool and overturn a one goal swing.
However, the Berkshire club are likely to receive no sympathy from Sam Allardyce’s Hammers.
The hosts have lost just one of their last eight Premier League games at their intimidating Boleyn Ground, winning four and drawing three.
And Reading’s recent form in London suggests that they’re unlikely to travel home with all three points.
Having notched just one victory in their last 14 Premier League trips to the capital (a 4-2 win at Fulham a fortnight ago), West Ham’s 7/10 looks justified.
To improve upon that record, the visitors will have to be physically and mentally ready from straight from kick-off if they’re to take anything from the game.
No team has won fewer points away from home than Reading this term (8) and the fast-starting Irons could ensure that statistic remains the same at the season’s climax.
Five of West Ham’s eight Premier League home wins have seen them lead at both half-time and full-time. Odds of 11/8 are available for that scenario to repeat itself.
An even more appetising 9/5 is on offer for the home team to be winning the match after 30 minutes, a feat they’ve achieved in half of their triumphs in East London.
But don’t expect Reading to simply roll over. Nigel Adkins’ men have hit the back of the net in 11 of their 18 away matches in the league and the 8/13 for both teams to score could well be the value pick to focus on.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
