Paul Merson predicts West Ham v West Brom
By Will Butcher
Paul Merson believes West Ham will fail to claim victory against West Brom despite playing host to the Baggies at the London Stadium.
The Hammers have failed to prove any kind of consistency this season, despite their recent resurgent form that has taken them to ninth in the Premier League.
Merson claimed on the Sky Sports website that he is unsure which West Ham side will turn up, and face a difficult test in Tony Pulis’ side as he claimed they are the “best of the rest”.
Sky Sports pundit Merson believes the two sides will share the spoils in a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
“You simply cannot predict which West Ham team will turn up,” Merson said. “One day Manchester City rip them to shreds and then the next they’re tearing Southampton apart.
“Tony Pulis has built a really good team and they are, in my opinion, the best of the rest outside of the top six, which is quite an achievement.”
Pulis has defied pre-season expectations with his Midlands outfit by masterminding their transformation from relegation candidates to European football contenders.
Although nine points away from the top six, West Brom sit in eighth and have not shown any signs of letting up in their continued pursuit of Premier League success.
That will worry West Ham fans, who are sweating on the fitness of in-form target man Andy Carroll after the England international limped off against Southampton with a groin issue.
Aaron Cresswell and Cheikhou Kouyate did not train either this week, and are also doubts for Saturday’s clash while Angela Ogbonna, Gokhan Tore and Diafra Sakho remain injured.
The Hammers will turn to their recent form that has seen them win three of their last four Premier League matches, and could move to within two points of the Baggies with a win.
In other West Ham news, this 23-year-old has handed manager Slaven Bilic some good news after returning from injury.
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