ALEX JONES (@AlexJ0nes9) analyses the odds as Stockport entertain West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday.
Stockport vs West Ham | Monday 11th January 2021, 20:00 | BT Sport
Premier League West Ham travel up to face non-league Stockport to round off this season’s FA Cup third round ties.
Eighty-sux places separate the two sides in the English football pyramid and the difference in quality will be palpable for all to see. In West Ham’s six other ties against non-league opposition, they have won them all.
David Moyes will make changes giving his fringe players a chance to impress. The likes of Manuel Lanzini, Said Benrahma and Andriy Yarmolenko should come into the Hammers attack.
I’m expecting a get the job done approach from the visitors. They should have too much quality in the final third on Monday evening but quotes of 1/4 on the away win are simply too short.
We can get 21/20 on the away win seeing Under 3.5 Goals and that takes appeal. Only two of West Ham’s last 12 games have gone over this line and it’s a good way of getting The Hammers on side, with the away 0-2 or 0-3 seeming likely.
They have only lost three of their last 14 and have had a very solid start to the campaign. As for Stockport, they sit fourth in the Conference Premier and have their sights set on not only an upset on Monday but also promotion back to the Football League.
One man who will be keen to take his chance if given it by David Moyes is the Algerian Said Benrahma. He hasn’t had many chances to impress the Hammers faithful with only three starts in the league.
He showed flashes of brilliance in a start at Leeds earlier this season and was unlucky not to notch with one of his 6 shots. He should get plenty of chances to take fire here and the 15/8 on him to score in the game at Edgeley Park takes appeal.
The Brentford-loanee scored 17 goals last season and will likely feature off the left of a front three. He should be on free-kicks and his trickery and pace will be too much for the right-hand side of the Stockport defence.
Best Bets
Stockport vs West Ham – West Ham to win and Under 3.5 Goals (21/20 Bet365)
Stockport vs West Ham – Said Benrahma to score anytime (15/8 Bet365)
