West Ham United host Swansea City in the Premier League this afternoon.
Mark Lawrenson
Pundit Mark Lawrenson has told BBC Sport that he thinks West Ham United will beat Swansea City 2-1 at the London Stadium this afternoon.
West Ham head into the game having lost five games in a row, with their 3-0 defeat at Arsenal on Wednesday evening their latest loss following defeats against Chelsea, Bournemouth, Leicester City and Hull.
With just two points gained in the last seven games, West Ham are now hovering just five points above the relegation zone, with today’s game seen as pivotal for manager Slaven Bilic.
The Croatian could lose his job if the Hammers fail to win today, as defeat to Swansea would drag West Ham even closer to the bottom three.
The Swans picked up just one point from two home games over the last week, drawing 0-0 at home with Middlesbrough before a tough defeat to Spurs, in which Swansea led 1-0 for the majority of the game, before conceding three times in the last six minutes to lose 3-1.
Paul Clement’s men have dropped back into the bottom three, and whilst they are only two points adrift of Hull City, a trip to the London Stadium – where West Ham have struggled this season – could be the ideal game for the Swans.
General view inside the London Stadium
However, pundit Mark Lawrenson has told BBC Sport that he thinks West Ham will actually grab a win today, backing them to claim a 2-1 victory over their relegation rivals.
Lawrenson suggested that Swansea should have got something out of their game with Spurs in midweek, and with West Ham in need of breathing space at the bottom, they will claim all three points today.
“Swansea have been playing well but have only one point to show for it from their past four games,” said Lawrenson. “They definitely played well enough to get something out of their game with Tottenham, but ended up being beaten 3-1,” he added.
“This is not a good time to hit the buffers, as West Ham know well. They are on an even worse run of form, with five straight defeats. The Hammers were rolled over by Arsenal last time out but this is a chance to get some breathing space over the bottom three, and leave Swansea in big trouble. This is a huge game for Slaven Bilic and his side, and I think they will win it,” he added.
What is your prediction for West Ham United v Swansea City?
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