West Ham vs Man Utd Preview, Team News, Likely Line-ups & Predicted Score

Manchester United are in the capital to take on West Ham at Upton Park tonight looking to go one step closer to reclaiming the Premier League title.

United head into the game holding a 15-point lead over second-place Manchester City – who hold a game in hand – after beating Stoke 2-0 on Sunday and with just six games remaining it means they need just seven more points to wrestle the title back from their ‘noisy neighbours’.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s men have won eight out of their last nine league games so arrive at Upton Park in excellent form and depending on how City get on against Wigan this evening, United could wrap the title up at home to Aston Villa next Monday.

The Hammers on the other hand are sitting 12th in the table on 38 points so another win would put them past the all-important 40-point marker and ensure they’ll be playing top flight football again next season.

Sam Allardyce’s men are in decent form themselves having tasted defeat just once in their last five games and head into the game after successive draws away at Liverpool and Southampton.

Team News

West Ham are sweating on the fitness of defender James Tomkins, who is a doubt with a calf injury. Allardyce will give him until the last minute to prove his fitness but Emanuel Pogatetz could come in if Tomkins misses out.

Fellow defenders Winston Reid and George McCartney are expected to miss out with hip and knee injuries respectively. Mark Noble and Joe Cole are close to full fitness but this clash is likely to come too soon.

Man Utd have no fresh injury concerns to content with so will take the same 20-man squad that went to Stoke at the weekend.

Ferguson may decide to change things up with Tom Cleverley, Ryan Giggs, Jonny Evans, Rafael, Danny Welbeck and Nani are pushing for recalls but Ashley Young and Paul Scholes are out with ankle and knee injuries.

Likely Line-ups

Predicted Score

United have won the last eight league meetings with West Ham so are heavy favourites to record another win tonight. They may not be playing the best football of Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign but this United side know how to grind out results and I think we’ll see them collect all three points tonight and move closer to title No.20. West Ham 1-2 Man Utd

What would your team be and what do you think will be the final score? Get involved in the comments section below.