West Ham United vs Southampton

West Ham United will be keen to get their stuttering Premier League campaign back on the rails when they take on an out-of-form Southampton at the London Stadium on Boxing Day.

West Ham enjoyed the Premier League top-three comforts heading into November’s international break, sparking the club’s hopes of eking out their first-ever top-four finish in the top-flight. However, a noticeable downfall on the back of last month’s international break has seen the ‘Hammers’ pick up just one win from six league matches (D2, L3), derailing their chances of qualifying for the Champions League next season. West Ham will feel confident of getting back to winning ways here, given that they are unbeaten their last eight top-flight H2Hs in a row (W6, D2) since succumbing to a 3-2 defeat in August 2017. Moreover, David Moyes’ men played out a scoreless draw in the reverse fixture at St Mary’s Stadium, making it three consecutive H2H clean sheets on the spin.

In the meantime, since putting together successive 1-0 win in late-October/early-November, Southampton have gone winless in their last six Premier League outings (D3, L3). A run of poor form has seen the south-coast side fall to 15th in the table, six points clear of 18th-placed Burnley, who also boast two games in hand over Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side. With the pressure ramping up on the Austrian manager, the ‘Saints’ will be aiming to put a four-game winless Premier League away streak to bed (D1, L3). That could be easier said than done, though, as Southampton have only won one of their nine top-flight travels this season (D3, L5), scoring just eight goals while conceding 19 in return. The visitors’ indifferent Premier League away form on Boxing Day (W3, D5, L3) douses any embers of optimism regarding a potential upset in the capital.