WEST HAM UNITED are odds-on to extend their winning run at home to Birmingham City in the Premiership on Monday evening, a match that is live on Sky, but may be forced to settle for a share of the spoils. The draw is best-priced at 12-5 with Sporting Odds.
After winning their past six matches, in both league and cup, it is unsurprising to find the Hammers at short odds, but Birmingham, six points adrift of safety, have much to play for and have themselves lost just once in the same period, and that being against Arsenal.
West Ham have encouraged talk of a top-six finish — they presently sit eighth and will jump two places with a win — after gaining successive league wins against Aston Villa, Fulham, Arsenal and Sunderland, and manager Alan Pardew’s main problem is to decide whether to bring leading scorer Marlon Harewood back into the starting XI after he came off the bench to set up Dean Ashton for a debut goal against Sunderland last week. Defender Danny Gabbidon (shin) is a slight fitness concern, while Shaka Hislop will continue in goal as Roy Carroll continues to recover from a back problem.
Steve Bruce, the Birmingham manager, has still to contend with a number of injuries but has been able to take some solace from the return to fitness and form of Mikael Forssell, a scorer in the 2-1 defeat of Reading in the FA Cup last week. With games against fellow strugglers Sunderland, Middlesbrough and West Bromwich Albion to follow, Birmingham retain the ability to preserve their top-flight status and can begin the work by taking a point at Upton Park.
West Ham are a general 5-6. Birmingham are biggest at 7-2 with William Hill and Blue Square.