Live match preview – West Ham vs So’ton 26.12.2021

Team news, stats and prediction ahead of West Ham vs Southampton in the Premier League on Boxing Day; kick-off 3pm.

Team news

West Ham boss David Moyes is waiting to learn whether Michail Antonio will be available for the home game against Southampton on Boxing Day.

Antonio missed the midweek Carabao Cup defeat at Tottenham after testing positive for coronavirus, but could return to contention.

Aaron Cresswell remains doubtful after damaging his ribs when colliding with a post in last month’s defeat at Manchester City, while fellow defender Vladimir Coufal serves a one-game ban for his recent dismissal at Arsenal.

Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl has a decision to make over his goalkeeper after Fraser Forster returned to training ahead of Sunday’s trip to the London Stadium.

Willy Caballero, who only signed a short-term deal at the start of December, has deputised during the last two games.

The Saints have also been boosted by Stuart Armstrong, Che Adams and Adam Armstrong recovering from recent knocks but Alex McCarthy is still absent with a hamstring injury.

How to follow

Follow West Ham vs Southampton in our dedicated live match blog. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel from 5.15pm on Boxing Day.

Last time out…

Jones Knows prediction

West Ham have only won one of their last six Premier League games, that was against Chelsea, taking five points from 18 available. There has been a slightly worrying drop in their attacking numbers but it’s not enough for me to lose faith in David Moyes’ side. I’m happy to back a home win.

Joao Cancelo and Jonjo Shelvey have taught me a lesson in the last week, to keep the faith with big-priced goalscorer fancies that are firing lots of shots on target from outside the box. After making the case for Cancelo and Shelvey to score from outside the box at relevant points in the past month, both went and did just that, with Shelvey scoring vs Liverpool at 50/1 and Cancelo finally opening his account for the season vs Newcastle at 16/1. That gives me confidence that Declan Rice’s price for a goal from outside the box remains an angle to keep on nibbling at.

He’s fired six shots on target in his last nine fixtures and was on free-kick duties in the defeat at Tottenham in midweek. There was a goal from outside the box in the win at Aston Villa and he went close with an off-target attempt in the draw with Burnley.

Quotes of 25/1 for him to score from outside the box are just too good to pass up.

SCORE PREDICTION: 2-0

BETTING ANGLE: Declan Rice to score from outside the box (25/1 with Sky Bet)

Opta stats

• West Ham are unbeaten in their last eight Premier League games against Southampton (W6 D2) since a 3-2 away loss in August 2017.
• After drawing their first ever Premier League away game against West Ham in May 1994 (3-3), none of Southampton’s last 18 visits to the Hammers in the competition has finished level. Saints have won just four of these 18 games (L14), losing the last four in a row while conceding exactly three goals each time.
• West Ham have won more games (19) and more home games (14) against Southampton in the Premier League than they have versus any other side in the competition.
• West Ham have won just one of their last seven league games on Boxing Day (D3 L3), winning 4-1 at Swansea in 2016-17. This is the Hammers’ first Boxing Day home game since 2013-14, a 3-1 defeat against Arsenal.
• This is the 12th time Southampton have played away from home on Boxing Day in the Premier League (W3 D5 L3), and it will be the 11th such game to be against a London side. Indeed, Saints have played more Boxing Day Premier League games in London than they have at home (7).