West Ham v Watford

Betting Odds: West Ham: 1.90 Draw: 3.10 Watford: 3.8

Saturday 10th February 15.00

As the evening nights gradually get lighter, the footballing season enters into its twilight third. While football-betting odds heavily favour Manchester United to claim their fifth Premiership title in ten years, odds are a little fuzzier regarding the relegation battle.

With every game already carrying extra weight for both West Ham and Watford, facing a fellow struggler makes the game nothing but a must win. And with seventeenth place Wigan set to travel to the ever-impressive, ever-testing Emirates Stadium, three points for either could certainly cast some light on their survival hopes.

Watford, despite being rooted to the foot of the table, ten points adrift from safety, do boast a psychological advantage over their London counterparts after knocking them out of the FA Cup two weeks earlier. An acrobatic strike from McNamee, in an otherwise lacklustre draw, the difference.

As well as overcoming this blow, The Hammers are desperate to knock their current form on the head. Conceding in every League game this season, Curbishley’s men are slowly losing touch with the teams above. Already five points behind Wigan, they are in need of at least two win to make up any realistic ground on Sheffield United and Manchester City.

But winning ways are something neither team have managed to get accustomed to this season. West Ham have not produced a win in their last nine games, while Watford have only conjured up two all season. And both failed to score in their last Premiership game.

West Ham travelled to Villa Park and fell behind midway through the first half. Perhaps more worrying to their new manager, and new investors, was the team’s failure to rally until the final ten minutes, even in the face of another defeat.

Rarely venturing out of their own half and offering nothing in attack for 80 minutes, The Hammers appeared quashed but, after a frenzied finish, nearly made Villa rue their array of missed opportunities. Tomas Sorenson, pulling off two excellent saves, and the woodwork denying McCartney stoppage time glory meant their attempts were all in vain. They can however, despite leaving empty handed, take heart from the definite potential in the locker room.

Less can be said for Watford who too went down to a one-nil scoreline as Bolton visited Vicarage Road. In a game where they lacked any real quality and struggled to maintain even a third of possession, Bolton’s ‘keeper, Mariappa, having nothing more than an effortless day at the office, remained untested. It was Watford’s 16th goalless league game this season.

But as the dark cloud of relegation looms, only goals can save them. As both teams fighting for their Premiership lives, odds predict this won’t be a pretty one. Grit rather than grace will be needed for survival.

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West Ham v Watford - Premiership Clash