In-form West Ham can come out on top in entertaining clash with leaky Fulham

BT Sport 1, 5.30pm Saturday

Fulham and West Ham both splashed some significant cash during the summer and the Hammers have undoubtedly received a better return on their investment.

Manuel Pellegrini's side head west across London in search of a fourth straight Premier League win while their hosts are bottom of the table, having conceded 40 goals in 16 games on their return to the top flight.

Fulham's poor start cost Championship playoff-winning manager Slavisa Jokanovic his job and successor Claudio Ranieri has a tough task on his hands.

Ranieri made a perfect start with a 3-2 home win over fellow strugglers Southampton but that was followed by a 2-0 defeat at Chelsea and a 1-1 draw with Leicester at Craven Cottage.

They were dismal in the first half of last weekend's trip to Manchester United, going in 3-0 down at the break on their way to a 4-1 defeat at Old Trafford, and the visit of effervescent West Ham is a serious test for the worst defence in the division.

Fulham won't be the weakest rearguard the Hammers have faced this season – they thumped Macclesfield 8-0 in the EFL Cup – but the visitors should be confident after goal-laden victories over Newcastle (3-0), Cardiff (3-1) and Crystal Palace (3-2) in their last three outings.

Marko Arnautovic is injured but Javier Hernandez scored a brace at Newcastle and notched in last weekend's win over Palace.

Also on the scoresheet against the Eagles were Felipe Anderson, who has enjoyed a superb start to his West Ham career, and the rejuvenated Robert Snodgrass, so the Hammers will be looking forward to taking on a flimsy Fulham defence.

Pellegrini's commitment to attacking football means his side can also be exposed at the back and an entertaining game looks likely.

A West Ham win with both teams scoring is a tempting price at 3-1. The bet has copped in five of the Hammers' six league wins this term and the exception was the 3-0 triumph at Newcastle where the Magpies won the shot count 16-7.

Fulham certainly have the attacking quality to unsettle West Ham, with Aleksandar Mitrovic and Andre Schurrle scoring 12 Premier League goals between them.

The Cottagers are far from doomed – their first 16 games have included away fixtures at six of the top seven – and they have been competitive at home, picking up eight of their nine points on the banks of the Thames.

But it is telling that Fulham's two wins this term were by 3-2 and 4-2 scorelines and in-form West Ham look the more likely to come out on top in another high-scoring contest at the Cottage.

Recommendation
West Ham to win & both teams to score
1pt 3-1 general

Team news
Fulham
Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa is suspended after last weekend’s red card at Manchester United. Calum Chambers and Kevin McDonald should be fit again.

West Ham
Jack Wilshere and Marko Arnautovic are sidelined and Lucas Perez (foot) is a doubt. Andy Carroll and Michail Antonio are pushing for starts up front if Perez misses out.

Key stat
West Ham have kept a clean sheet in only one of their six Premier League victories this season.

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