MY ACCOUNT
– West Ham have won 11 of their 12 games in this season’s Europa Conference League
– AZ Alkmaar have won 2-1 in four of their last six Conference League matches
– Recommended bet: West Ham To Win and Both Teams To Score
West Ham have only recently pulled clear of the Premier League relegation zone, helped by Sunday’s 1-0 win over Manchester United, but they have been excellent throughout their run to the last four of the Europa Conference League.
After reaching the Europa League semi-finals last season, David Moyes’s men have won 11 of their 12 Conference League ties this term and are favourites to make the most of home advantage in the first leg against AZ Alkmaar.
The Dutch side have to be respected after knocking out Lazio in the last 16 although they needed penalties to get past Anderlecht in the quarter-finals and face an in-form West Ham attacking unit at the London Stadium.
West Ham vs AZ Alkmaar (Thursday, 8pm)
Team news
West Ham are likely to recall goalkeeper Alphonse Areola in place of Lukasz Fabianski but that could be the only change from the team who started Sunday’s win over Manchester United.
Tomas Soucek should be fit despite a blow to the head against United while defender Kurt Zouma and striker Gianluca Scamacca remain sidelined.
AZ Alkmaar are without suspended left-back Milos Kerkez so Mees de Wit should start in defence. Jens Odgaard is a doubt after suffering a thigh injury in the weekend draw at Ajax.
The stats
Six of West Ham’s last seven matches in all competitions have featured over 2.5 goals, while the Hammers have won 11 of their 12 games in this season’s Europa Conference League.
Four of West Ham’s six home European ties this term have been victories in which both teams scored.
One or both teams failed to score in each of AZ Alkmaar’s last six matches, while they have kept only one clean sheet in their last nine Conference League games.
Four of AZ’s last six Conference League matches have ended in 2-1 wins for the Dutch club.
Prediction
West Ham have delighted their fans in their last two home games in this competition, thumping AEK Larnaca 4-0 and Gent 4-1, and backing the Hammers to win and both teams to score looks a good bet against AZ Alkmaar.
The Premier League side have been playing with real attacking verve in recent weeks although they had conceded nine goals in their previous three league fixtures before Sunday’s clean sheet against Manchester United.
That should encourage AZ, who are fourth in the Eredivisie and had scored eight times in three matches before their goalless weekend stalemate away to Ajax, although their defence may struggle to keep the Hammers quiet.
Back West Ham to win and both teams to score at 11/5 with LiveScore Bet.
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