EPL Week 13 Wagering Weekend Windup: Manchester City vs. West Ham

The penultimate match in week 13’s EPL Weekend Windup features another albeit unexpected top-four showdown. This Sunday, seasoned and weathered top four perennials Manchester City take on a top-four newcomer, West Ham United, at Etihad Stadium. The London club’s buzz has been growing as they have only three losses all season and have won four of their past five, including a prized scalp in the form of Liverpool. They face a club in even better form in champions Manchester City who have only one loss from eleven and has outscored opponents 13-1 in their past five matches. Two top clubs do battle in England’s top flight here, but you can check out all the EPL lines at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Manchester City vs. West Ham Predictions & Picks

•  Draw (+480)
• Under 2.5 (+164)

West Ham United (+900) may have had a minor setback last week when they fell 1-0 to Wolves, but they still cling to the lucrative fourth spot in the EPL even with the loss. They have been an improving enterprise and have given some of the big boys all they can handle and more. This season, both Tottenham and Liverpool have fallen to the Hammers, so Pep Guardiola will be fully aware of the upset potential this Sunday. West Hams’ Michail Antonio lead the Hammers in scoring and is fourth in the league with six goals and has been a constant menace to the opposition.  

West Ham has also been defensively sound, having conceded only 14 times all season. While the fourth-place position may be surprising to some, people paying attention know this West Ham side is the real deal.  

In what promises to be an intense and tightly contested match, they face one of the hottest teams in all of Europe in Manchester City (-350). The hot form they are in at the moment was confirmed midweek when they dispatched French giants PSG, 2-1. Guardiola chose a team of first-stringers for the match and only made one substitution. The question now becomes, how City’s energy levels will be on Sunday after spending an afternoon chasing Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe around for 90 minutes? 

It’s noteworthy to mention that Man City’s only loss this season came after a mid-week engagement. When Pep’s men fell 2-0 to Crystal Palace, they were on three days rest. That mid-week match ironically brings even more optimism to Hammers supporters. Manchester City were eliminated by the Hammers from the league cup that week after playing 90 minutes of scoreless football. After falling to West Ham on penalties, the verdict is clear. West Ham can compete at high levels with Manchester, and City could be ripe for a downturn, having recently played a difficult match against Messi and friends. A draw for (+480) is excellent value, considering recent form and scheduling challenges Pep has faced. 

If the draw away to City is too rich for your blood, or you want added options, consider taking the under 2.5. With the stalemate these clubs recently played to, it’s difficult to see one or both teams scoring multiples in this one. Expect a cagey chess match between two excellent sides.

All EPL predictions and picks are courtesy of SportsGrid

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