West Ham host Fulham in one of two Premier League games that take place on Friday night, and the game looks a perfect opportunity for them to put another three points on the board. The Hammers are looking to finish in the top half of the table this season, and going into this weekend’s games they are in 10th, which is right where they want to be. Things are really tight though, and just six points separate 9th placed Everton and 15th placed Burnley so a streak of two or three wins or losses in a row could really make a difference to a team’s league position.

Their opponents on the night Fulham are in big trouble, and other than the biggest and most loyal Fulham fans around, I think pretty much everyone else thinks they are already resigned to relegation this season. They came up from the Championship with high hopes and spent a lot of money to survive in the league, but things have not gone right for them at all, and it looks as though their time in the Premier League will be a brief one for now.

They are not bottom of the league, they are second from bottom but eight points separate them from safety, and there are just 12 Premier League games to go this season, including this one. Considering that Fulham only have 17 points on the board from 26 games, it is a tough ask for them to get the eight points needed to reach those above them, and then what it takes to survive on top of that, with just 12 games to go.

Things haven’t been perfect for West Ham recently it is fair to say and they come here on the back of four league games without a win. However, they have shown us that they are capable of playing well enough to finish in the top half, and on their day they are a good team. The same cannot be said for Fulham, who are playing like a group of players who know that relegation is almost upon them, and they are just simply going through the motions.

The Premier League Relegation Race

The Premier League relegation race has many clubs involved with 12 games to go, although it is highly likely that two of the three relegation places have been decided. Although not mathematically down just yet, Huddersfield are 14 points away from safety, and it is only a matter of time before they are officially a Championship club again. Fulham also appear to be going that way, and it would take a huge escape for them to get out, as they are eight points away from avoiding the drop.

However, things get interesting above that, and as we go into this weekend it is Southampton who are in the relegation zone holding onto the final spot with 24 points. The reason this race is so interesting is because of the number of teams who are above them and could potentially be dragged down to take their place in the bottom three.

Five clubs, Crystal Palace, Brighton, Burnley, Newcastle and Cardiff are three points or less away from Southampton right now, and all five will be looking over their shoulder. Crystal Palace and Brighton are the two teams furthest away from the drop zone, but they are the teams in the worst form right now, and it would not be a surprise to see anything happen over the coming weeks.

While they are both three points clear, Palace have won just one of their last five, and Brighton haven’t won in the same period. During that time, Burnley are unbeaten with two wins and three draws, Newcastle have two wins as do Cardiff and Southampton, so those below are certainly chasing hard.

The luxury that teams have who are involved is that just one of them from the six clubs will go down, so the odds are certainly on survival rather than relegation. However, there are many clubs who are playing above expectations right now, and they are doing all they can to get safe and leave someone else in trouble.

I think we can expect to see an abundance of twists and turns over the coming weeks at the bottom, and while the Premier League title race looks sure to be fantastic, the fight for survival has the potential to be just as good.

A good run may be too little too late for Fulham who are playing here tonight, but for the remaining six clubs who are battling it out to avoid the one final relegation spot that is left, a good run is exactly what they need right now.

West Ham vs Fulham Betting Tips

An all-London clash here, with one team looking up and trying to stay in the top half while the other ponders a season back in the Championship next season. Fulham are playing like a team that has already been relegated, and while it looks almost certain for them, it hasn’t been confirmed yet, but their fight appears to have already finished.

They are a team worth opposing over the coming weeks, and that is exactly what I am going to do here, as I strongly fancy West Ham to claim the win. The Hammers have everything to play for in terms of their quest for a top half finish, and that alone puts them in a far better position than Fulham, who should be fighting for their lives but simply aren’t.

That kind of feeling around the squad will not get them far, and another defeat appears to be on the card here. I am more than happy to go in with West Ham on Friday, they have not won in their last four games but this is a big drop in the class of opposition for them, and they can make that pay by taking this one.

Fulham don’t need many more nails putting in their coffin, but I get the feeling that West Ham are about to hammer another one into it on Friday night.

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