West Ham vs Arsenal Bets: Wednesday’s EFL Cup Showdown
London Derby in EFL Cup
West Ham on Losing Run
London rivals West Ham and Arsenal will meet on Wednesday, in the EFL Cup, for the first time this season. West Ham are on a three-match losing run for the first time in 2023-24 and will look to bounce back come Wednesday. Meanwhile, Arsenal have lost just one match in 15 this season, in all competitions and are coming off a dominant win over Sheffield United. We’ll preview all of the action and odds for those interested in placing West Ham vs Arsenal bets for Wednesday’s match at the London Stadium.
West Ham vs Arsenal
Day/Time:
Location: London Stadium, London, England
Head-to-Head
Last season, West Ham and Arsenal didn’t face off on the EFL schedule but they met in two Premier League games. In the Boxing Day match at the Emirates, Arsenal fell behind in the first half but came away with a 3-1 win. The Gunners scored twice within the first ten minutes in the reverse fixture but West Ham fought back to get a 2-2 draw. EFL Cup games between the two sides have been rare but Arsenal did pick up a 1-0 win over the Hammers in the 2017-18 quarterfinal.
West Ham Draw Blank vs Everton
West Ham have lost three times in the last eight days and Sunday’s loss was particularly disappointing. The Hammers hosted an Everton side that have hovered near the relegation zone for the last few seasons and couldn’t manage to score. Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored the game’s only goal in the second half as the Toffees came away with all three points.
A few days earlier, Olympiacos ended West Ham’s 17-game European unbeaten run. West Ham fell 2-1 in Greece in the Europa League on Thursday. The weekend before, Aston Villa easily beat David Moyes’ side 4-1. West Ham vs Arsenal bets will need to take into account the Hammers’ poor form.
Striker Michail Antonio hasn’t scored since late August and West Ham have scored just two times in their last three games. Right winger Jarrod Bowen has been West Ham’s most dangerous player this season and he’s managed six Premier League goals so far. Tomas Soucek scored the matchwinner in the Hammers’ 1-0 win at Lincoln City in the EFL Cup third round and he’s likely to start Wednesday.
Nketiah Shines for Arsenal in Jesus’ Absence
It’s been a superb week for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal. Last Tuesday, they went on the road to Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League and came away with a 2-1 win. Gabriel Jesus was a standout, as he scored and provided an assist for Gabriel Martinelli. Takehiro Tomiyasu and Declan Rice also put in standout performances. Unfortunately, Jesus picked up a muscle injury in the match and figures to miss the next few weeks. Still, his replacement Eddie Nketiah was the man of the match vs Sheffield United on Saturday.
Nketiah scored his first-ever Premier League hat trick in the dominant 5-0 win. Tomiyasu also scored his first goal for Arsenal in another stellar cameo. The Gunners are also missing Thomas Partey for a couple weeks but their improved midfield depth this season is doing the job. Declan Rice has been one of the best midfielders in Europe this season and captain Martin Odegaard got a rest on Saturday.
Arsenal currently show +400 odds to win the EFL Cup and only Liverpool have shorter odds at present. Arteta wants his team to challenge on all fronts this season and with Man City already out of the competition, Arsenal have a decent shot. Expect Arteta to rotate his squad here as EPL players like Reiss Nelson, Jorginho, Fabio Vieira and Aaron Ramsdale could get opportunities here. Arsenal advanced to the EFL Cup round of 16 by defeating Brentford 1-0 off of a Nelson goal.
Match Analysis & Odds
With both EPL teams playing on Saturday, expect both managers to rotate their squads a fair bit. West Ham’s team could look a lot like the one that lost 2-1 at Olympiacos. Former Arsenal player Dinos Mavropanos could start at center back along with Angelo Ogbonna. It’s unclear what changes Arteta will make but expect Gabriel Magalhaes, Martin Odegaard and Jorginho to play a role after sitting out on Saturday.
Before placing West Ham vs Arsenal bets, note that the Gunners have scored two goals per game in their last five road matches. Arsenal come in as +130 ATS and moneyline favorites as West Ham are +215 moneyline underdogs. The Hammers are in serious danger of losing four games in a row for the first time since May 2022.
It’s been difficult for West Ham to get results vs Arsenal in recent seasons but West Ham +0.5 does sit at -160 odds. Bettors can take a draw at +245 odds, while both over and under 2.5 goals are priced at -110.
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