TipResumen

WEST HAM UNITED

There will be a few clubs who go to Anfield this season and come away on the wrong side of a heavy loss, but I don't think that will lessen the optimism the West Ham United fans are feeling about the season ahead. The London Stadium should still be a positive atmosphere in which the players can express themselves, but there will still be some pressure for The Hammers to produce a good performance. The arrival of Manuel Pellegrini comes with the promise of attacking football and the signings made by West Ham United since the former Manchester City manager arrived are more positives for the fans. The side ended up with a 7-6-6 record at the London Stadium in the Premier League last season and the fans will be hoping to better that number of wins which is the second season in a row they have finished with that number since moving into the new Stadium. West Ham United may have ended last season with a 3 game unbeaten run in the Premier League and they had lost just 2 of their previous 9 games but those defeats both came in games in which they conceded four goals. That occurred again last Sunday in the defeat at Liverpool, but West Ham United are home this weekend where they have won 2 of their last 6 Premier League games. Marko Arnautovic is a doubt for this fixture, although the feeling is he will overcome a knock and start.



BOURNEMOUTH

Some people have tipped up Bournemouth for a season of struggle in the Premier League, but Eddie Howe and his players won't believe the same and the 2-0 win over Cardiff City last weekend underlined that. The Cherries could even afford to miss a penalty in that win, but Howe is a smart manager and it won't be lost on him the chances Cardiff City created while the game was in the balance at 1-0. A couple of mid-table finishes have been decent returns from Bournemouth when you consider their financial power compared with some of the other teams in the Division. They are always going to be a team whose first ambition is to avoid relegation out of the Premier League and the side had a decent enough 4-6-9 away record in the League last season which ensured they steered clear of relegation trouble. Bournemouth finished up the 2017/18 season with a couple of wins and added to that with the victory over Cardiff City to make it 3 wins in a row. The side had won just 1 of their previous 14 away games in all competitions before beating Burnley on the final day of last season. Bournemouth have lost half of their last 6 away games in the Premier League. Diego Rico is completing his suspension, while Jefferson Lerma and Junior Stanislas are expected to miss out.



HEAD TO HEAD

Bournemouth and West Ham United drew 3-3 at the Vitality Stadium and 1-1 at the London Stadium last season. West Ham United have hosted Bournemouth 6 times in their history and they have won 4 of those although the sides are 1-1-1 since Bournemouth were promoted to the Premier League.



PREDICTION

Last week was a chastening experience for the West Ham United fans who have been dreaming of some very big things for their club this summer. The 4-0 defeat at Anfield may be something that other clubs experience, but it could be good for Manuel Pellegrini and his players to not be saddled with the huge expectations of the fans in their first home game of the new season. The fans will still be expectant, but they will stay behind their team who may need some weeks to gel in together have signed a number of new players and also having a new voice to listen to in the dressing room. I do expect better from West Ham United this weekend when they face Bournemouth at the London Stadium although they will have to show significantly better defensive desire to do that. Liverpool can cut open teams, but they were aided massively by the poor defending West Ham United produced and that is something Pellegrini would have worked on during the week. It is important for West Ham United who will have their chances against Bournemouth but who have to be wary of the attacking intent shown by The Cherries in their win over Cardiff City last week. Bournemouth have had some success in East London at West Ham United since being promoted to the Premier League and their win last weekend will have given the players a boost in confidence to take into this fixture. However Bournemouth have generally not been so good on their travels and they are a team who have struggled defensively in the last couple of years with at least 61 conceded in both seasons. There is enough about this West Ham United team from an attacking front to think they can get after this Bournemouth side although the fans can sometimes make it a tough atmosphere to play in. That shouldn't be the case on Saturday with the optimism around the club and I expect West Ham United to bounce back from their defeat at Anfield. It will be a tight game at the London Stadium but I will back West Ham United on the Asian Handicap which will at least return half the stake if this game ends in a draw