Football betting tips: Friday Night Football
1.5pts Under 2.5 Goals at 10/11 (General)
0.5pts Ryan Giles Over 0.5 Assists at 6/1 (bet365)
A top-flight fixture at Luton's home. It's something that has not happened since April 1992.
This week's Friday Night Football offering will undoubtedly be a fun pre-match watch, the newly-promoted side sure to expect the backing of a raucous crowd at the very start of the weekend, but will the actual game serve up just as much entertainment?
I have my reservations with this match-up.
Luton have struggled to make much of an impact in the Premier League, albeit against tough opponents. Defeats by a three-goal margin defeats to Brighton and Chelsea have displayed just how difficult this season will be for the Hatters, struggling to create scoring opportunities. It's a trait that looked likely after their promotion-winning season.
West Ham, on the other hand, can go top with victory as visitors. Consecutive 3-1 wins over Chelsea and Brighton both came in counter-attacking fashion, but this game could be very different for the Hammers.
David Moyes' side have to contend with being the comfortable favourites in this one, and I'm not sure they will fashion the excellent chances they have in previous matches, likely to be given less space in an attacking sense.
What are the best bets?
As a result, I'm surprised to see the price for UNDER 2.5 GOALS be just a shade of odds-on here (general 10/11).
Another price of interest is the 6/1 available at for Luton's left-wing back, RYAN GILES, to record OVER 0.5 ASSISTS in the game.
Giles was outstanding at creating chances for Championship side Middlesbrough last season, registering a league-high 11 assists.
Despite Luton's problems in attacking areas this season, Giles has looked their most potent threat — from both open play and set-pieces. Up against Vladimír Coufal, I'd back the 23-year-old give himself the chance to record an assist with his quality left-footed delivery.
BuildABet @ 19/1
- Ryan Giles 1+ Assists
- 21+ Match Total Fouls
- 11+ corners
CLICK HERE to back with Sky Bet
The case for GILES to record an assist has already been made and I do think this will be a stop-start game with a range of set-pieces one of the more likelier ways we will see goals.
If that is the case, adding 11+ corners and 21+ match fouls to a BuildABet makes sense.
Score prediction: Luton 1-1 West Ham (Sky Bet odds: 6/1)
Team news
Jordan Clark and Dan Potts were confirmed to be out for months by Rob Edwards and Gabriel Osho remains out for Luton. Reece Burke did return against Chelsea last week, though.
Nayef Aguerd returns for West Ham following a suspension, but Tomáš Souček is doubtful after suffering a head injury at the weekend.
New signing Mohammed Kudus is available for the Hammers, while Konstantinos Mavropanos is ruled out.
Predicted line-ups
Luton: Kaminski; Andersen, Lockyer, Bell; Doughty, Barkley, Nakamba, Chong, Giles; Morris, Adebayo
West Ham: Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson; Álvarez, Ward-Prowse, Paquetá; Bowen, Benrahma, Antonio
Match facts
- Both of West Ham's last two Premier League games have been 3-1 wins for the Hammers. David Moyes' side last won three consecutive matches in January 2022, while not since August 2021 have they scored 3+ goals in three consecutive top-flight matches (a run of 4).
- This is Luton's first top-tier home game since April 1992 - a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa.
- A victory for West Ham would see them finish the day top of the Premier League table. It would be the first time they've led the top-flight having played four games since 14th October 1983 (eight games played).
- Luton could become the second team to lose their first three matches in a top-tier season by 3+ goals after being defeated 4-1 and 3-0 against Brighton and Chelsea.
- Jarrod Bowen has scored in both of West Ham's Premier League away games so far this season.
- James Ward-Prowse has been involved in three goals in his last two Premier League games for West Ham (one goal, two assists), while overall he's been involved in seven goals in his last six appearances in the competition (three goals, four assists).
Odds correct at 1640 BST (31/08/23)
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