Fulham v West Ham Tip

This is a game that will have few neutrals licking their lips in anticipation but that doesn’t make it a bad betting proposition. Fulham are the favourites (7/5 BetVictor) but history is very much against them. West Ham have won six out of eight Premier League trips to Craven Cottage (W6 D1 L1) and I think that run could continue against the odds.

Martin Jol’s side haven’t won a London derby yet in 2012-13 (D2 L3) and the usually to be expected strong home record hasn’t materialised. In fact, there have only been two league triumphs in the last 15 anywhere and no clean sheets in the last nine top flight fixtures.

That last statistic will offer much needed encouragement to the Hammers who have only mustered six goals on their travels all season. Yet I have faith in Sam Allardyce getting the tactics spot-on this evening for a perfect smash and grab performance. Andy Carroll may be back in the frame while Kevin Nolan and Joe Cole are always the sort of characters who can settle a tight encounter.

It could be a precious three points for West Ham, but the way they play on the road if it does happen then 1-0 is far and away the most likely scoreline. That was the result in their last away success at St James’s Park, and at best odds of 12/1 (BetVictor) I think they could repeat the trick and plunge their hosts into a relegation scrap.