Verdict: West Ham win
Best Odds: 6/5
Bookmaker: Unibet
Looking to pick up an early advantage on Thursday night, West Ham will welcome French outfit Lyon to the London Stadium when they open their Europa League quarter-final adventure.
West Ham
Starting with the hosts, while West Ham would have been disappointed to have entered March’s international break with a 3-1 defeat against Tottenham, David Moyes’ men came roaring back last weekend. Eventually claiming a 2-1 victory at home against relegation scrappers Everton, the one-time Manchester United boss should find the mood in his camp at a real high. Once again continuing to gain a host of plaudits from across the Premier League this season, the Hammers still have their sights set on making a late charge for the top-four. Laying down what was a stunning marker last month as they picked up a famous 2-0 win against Spanish heavyweights Sevilla to book their spot in Thursday’s quarter-finals, West Ham should be smelling another chance here. Gaining a reputation for their continued success on home soil, it should be highlighted that Thursday’s hosts have won each of their last four straight contests at the London Stadium.
Team News
Finding the net on his return from injury last weekend, former Hull City winger Jarrod Bowen will once again lead West Ham’s charge here.
Czech Republic international Vladimír Coufal is now judged to be fully fit and could replace Ryan Fredricks at right-back.
Lyon
As for the visitors, while Lyon might have managed to snatch a hectic victory on their return to action last weekend, it does not cover what has been a largely downbeat campaign. Marking their return from March’s international break with a lively 3-2 win at home against Angers, Head Coach Peter Bosz does find some pressure on his position at the Groupama Stadium. Although Les Gones might have extended on their Europa League adventure thanks to a 2-1 aggregate victory against Porto last month, they are in the midst of a worrying Ligue 1 campaign. Almost in a battle to keep their spot in the top-half, Lyon have continued to show some extended issues on the road. Last seen outside of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes having to settle for a 0-0 stalemate away at Reims, it should be highlighted that Thursday’s guests have won just a trio of their last eight away fixtures across all formats.
Team News
Still dealing with long-term injury issues, the trio of Lenny Pintor, Rayan Cherki and Sinaly Diomande will once again miss out on Thursday night.
Bagging nine goals in his last 12 appearances, Moussa Dembele will spearhead Lyon’s charge at the London Stadium.
Key Factors to Consider
- Including a 2-0 victory against Sevilla last month, West Ham have won each of their last four matchups at the London Stadium across all formats.
- Likewise, the Hammers have lost just a single fixture in east London since Boxing Day.
- Finding the net against Everton last weekend, Jarrod Bowen has scored nine Premier League strikes this season.
- Lyon have managed to win just a trio of their last eight matchups away from the Groupama Stadium.
- However, Les Gones have seen three of their last four contests across all formats finish with both teams finding the net.
Conclusion
Shocking many across Europe as they secured a famous 2-0 victory at home against Sevilla last month, there is no doubt that West Ham should be smelling the chance to pick up an early advantage here. Marking their return to action last weekend with a 2-1 win against relegation scrappers Everton, Thursday’s hosts have continued to impress at the London Stadium this season. Winning each of their previous four outings on home soil, it should also be noted that the Hammers have lost just a single contest in the capital since Boxing Day. With Lyon only winning a trio of their last eight matchups on the road, we’re backing Moyes’ men to pick up a first-leg boost here.
Verdict: West Ham win
Best Odds: 6/5
Bookmaker: Unibet
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