West Ham United vs Fulham - Betting Tips & Predictions.

London Stadium 27 December - 15:00

West Ham

Fulham

Recommended tip Draw

1: 2.62 X: 3.35 2: 2.62

1: 2.62 X: 3.30 2: 2.62

1: 2.62 X: 3.40 2: 2.60

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We’re off again after the Christmas break and what better way to kick back into league action than a proper London derby? Expect fireworks — or at least a proper old-fashioned scrap — when West Ham United welcome Fulham to the London Stadium on Saturday. This isn’t just another fixture; bragging rights for the capital, momentum for the new year and three precious Premier League points are all on the line.

Form tells two different stories. The Hammers have been grinding without joy, failing to win in six, while Marco Silva’s men are finally stirring and could notch a third straight league victory for the first time in years. Add the lingering AFCON absentees and a handful of niggling injuries and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a tense, tactical duel.

From a punter’s perspective, the odds make this one a tasty play — there’s little to separate the sides on paper and even less confidence in either dressing room right now. If you’re after a quick look at the market before locking anything in, the best football betting sites remain a solid starting point for lines and in-play offers.

On paper this looks like a cagey affair, and the FT draw on many tipsters’ cards isn’t a shock. Our Predictions and Tips lean towards a stalemate, but expect goals at both ends and one or two late twists to keep neutrals entertained.

Odds and Predictions

The bookies have chalked this up as a tight one. Ladbrokes pricing reads: Home 13/8 (2.63) — 38.1%, Draw 12/5 (3.40) — 29.4%, Away 8/5 (2.6) — 38.5%. Those odds tell you everything you need to know: markets see both teams as evenly matched, with the away price marginally favoured. Use the odds to shape your approach — value will come from a sideways market where confidence is low.

So how do we bet? Our headline prediction is a 1-1 correct score. West Ham’s recent home record against Fulham and raw defensive frailty on both sides point to goals, but not a runaway result. For those after a little extra zing, consider anytime scorer tips for Fulham’s Raul Jimenez or a Bowen penalty special if you fancy a home edge.

There’s scope for both teams to nick it late. The market for both teams to score is appealing — both clubs have conceded in streaks this season and neither look watertight. As ever, keep an eye on team news; AFCON withdrawals and late injuries will swing value and are worth tracking in-play.

In short: Predictions favour a draw; Tips suggest backing BTTS and the 1-1 correct score for a tidy compromise between safety and return.

Comparison and Statistics

Head to head — or H2H as the stat geeks call it — leans towards West Ham across recent meetings. Over the last ten matches the Hammers have the edge: five wins to Fulham’s two, with three draws. That historical superiority at this venue matters: West Ham haven’t lost to Fulham at the London Stadium in the vast majority of encounters since 2002.

But recent form complicates the narrative. Fulham have opened the scoring in five of their last seven meetings with West Ham while only converting two of those into wins since October 2022. Meanwhile, West Ham’s home form on the whole has been patchy — they’ve failed to win 11 of their 13 top-flight home games since March, shipping goals freely.

Key H2H bullet points: West Ham unbeaten in 14 of 15 at the London Stadium vs Fulham since 2002.
Fulham have won 7 and lost 8 of their 17 PL games this season — inconsistent but dangerous on their day.
West Ham have gone six matches without a win and have not kept a clean sheet in their last 14 fixtures.

Momentum sits with Fulham but home record and rivalry psychology nudge towards a draw in our predictions. Expect a tight midfield tussle, with the margins decided by defensive lapses or a moment of individual quality.

Expected Line-ups

Team sheets are likely to be influenced by AFCON call-ups and a few knocks. West Ham will continue to miss Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf to international duty, plus Lucas Fabianski remains sidelined with a back issue. Oliver Scarles is touch-and-go after his knock at the Etihad and Niclas Fullkrug is out as the transfer saga drags on.

Our predicted West Ham XI reads: Areola in goal, Walker-Peters, Kilman, Todibo, Mayers across the back, Potts and Fernandes to shield the midfield with Magassa, Paqueta pulling strings ahead of Bowen and Wilson. Expect a pragmatic shape — a compact midfield, looking to hit on transitions.

Fulham, meanwhile, could be sweating over Harry Wilson after he hobbled off against Nottingham Forest. The AFCON withdrawals of Bassey, Chukwueze and Iwobi reduce defensive and wide options, while Rodrigo Muniz and Ryan Sessegnon remain on the treatment table.

Predicted Fulham XI: Leno; Tete, Andersen, Cuenca, Robinson; Lukic, Berge; Wilson, Smith Rowe, Kevin; Jimenez. Silva will favour a flexible 4-2-3-1 with quick transitions and a lot of focus on getting Jimenez and Smith Rowe into the pockets behind the striker.

How Will the Season Pan Out

This match is a marker more than a decider. For West Ham it’s about arresting a slide and stopping the rot — three points would lift spirits and give Nuno something to build on during a tricky period. For Fulham, a positive result keeps them climbing away from the bottom half and could be the springboard for a steady mid-table push.

In the bigger picture, West Ham’s defensive record and lack of wins suggest a battle to avoid the drop unless January business arrives and key players return from injury. Fulham, with better momentum and fewer squad crises, look more likely to consolidate and nudge towards the top half or a late Europa push if form holds.

Realistically, the title race is out of both clubs’ reach, but European dreams and relegation nightmares are both within reach depending on how this run of fixtures unfolds. Our prediction: neither team makes a dramatic leap from this result, but a point apiece keeps both campaigns ticking over.

Final word: Back the draw and a 1-1 correct score for a market-friendly, pundit-approved result — sensible, spicy enough for the odds, and very London derby. If you prefer a bolder tip, take both teams to score and Jimenez to net anytime.

Written by:

Mark Brown

Chief Statistician

Bio:

Football bores me to tears! I’m not interested in the Rooney’s and Ronaldo’s of the world, but I am interested in betting. With that in mind, I spend hours trawling through the statistics of the football markets and can usually come up with an angle which presents a viable betting opportunity.

Key contributions:

Chief statistician or Stato, as my colleagues like to call me

Personnel betting philosophy or quotes:

“Risk wisely, gain greatly”