Manchester United vs West Ham Prediction & Betting Tips - FA Cup

Prediction published on 27/02/2023, 12:11  by Kennedy Kechula | Modified on 27/02/2023 at 20:25 in FA Cup Predictions

After winning the League Cup over the weekend, Manchester United have little time to savour the victory as on Wednesday they will be hosting West Ham United in the fifth round of the FA Cup. They will have to first get past a shaky West Ham United side. Manchester United beat Championship side Reading 3-1 at home to advance to this round while West Ham were 2-0 victors away to Derby. United are enjoying life under Erik ten Hag who has orchestrated their resurgence this season. The Red Devils are third in the Premier League, eight points off top spot and they have also made it through to the last 16 round in the Europa League. They come into this midweek clash on a 10-match unbeaten run with eight of those being victories. In that stretch, they have scored two or more goals in all matches and have kept five clean sheets. Key to their success has been the form of Marcus Rashford. The forward has scored 25 goals this season for United and scored against Newcastle to put his tally to five goals in the last seven matches. Casemiro also scored against Newcastle and will be a threat going forward having scored twice in the win over Reading that sealed progression to this round. Several United players remain sidelined with injury including Anthony Martial, Donny van de Beek and Christian Eriksen.

West Ham are having a horrendous league campaign where they find themselves just two points above the relegation zone. They have won just six games and lost a whopping 13 of the 24 matches they have played so far. The FA Cup has been a welcome distraction to their struggles and they will want to keep that going and hope that advancing in the competition might spark some positive results in their fight for survival. David Moyes’ men beat Nottingham Forest 4-0 last time out to end a run of three matches without a win. It was their biggest win of their season so far and should give them belief against United. Danny Ings got off the mark for his new team, which he joined in January, by netting a brace in the game. Michail Antonio also scored to end a run of three matches without a goal and the two alongside club top scorer Jarrod Bowen will be the danger men for the Hammers. The win over Forest came at a cost though as goalkeeper Alphonse Areola was withdrawn with injury and could be a potential absentee against United. He joins Kurt Zouma and Maxwell Cornet in the treatment room. United beat West Ham 1-0 in this very same round in the 2020/21 season.