West Ham United will clash against Spanish side Sevilla in a fierce Europa League clash on Thursday, March 10, with both sides looking to gain the upper hand in the first half of the two-legged clash. We are going to make some bold predictions for the matchup between two strong teams.
West Ham entered the matchup after winning just one game in their last five matches. Their most recent defeat came in a 1–0 Premier League defeat at the hands of Liverpool. The club are sixth in the Premier League with 45 points including 13 wins from their first 28 matches. To beat Sevilla on Thursday, the team will depend on key players like Declan Rice, Michael Antonio and Jarrod Bowen.
Meanwhile, Sevilla is in better form than its opposition. The Spanish club has won two of its last five, as well as drawn two games in that period. They lost their previous Europa League tie against Dinamo Zagreb, but still held on to their lead in aggregate scoring. Recently, Sevilla are tied in a no-scoring game against Alavés, so they will look more dominant and get a few names on the scoresheet against West Ham. Look for people like Anthony Marshall, Ivan Rakitic and Jesus Corona to be influential for Sevilla.
With all this in mind, there are three bold predictions for West Ham in the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 fight against Sevilla.
3 bold predictions for West Ham in the Europa League vs Sevilla
3. Declan Rice locks up midfield and helps with a goal
Deccan Rice is not a big goal scorer. In fact, much of the defensive-minded midfielder's contribution doesn't show up on the stat sheet. That said, Rice is the most influential player in West Ham's lineup, and he will play a key role once again on Thursday. The English superstar should be able to lock down the likes of Rakitic and Joan Jordan, making it difficult for Sevilla to work the ball down the pitch.
In addition to his relentless defensive efforts, we are predicting Rice to make an impact on the offense, setting a target for the likes of Bowen or Antonio. Rice is an underrated passer who is capable of giving his teammates a chance, and he can convert one of his midfield takeaways into a counter-attack with the ball well enough for his fast teammates.
2. Michael Antonio and Jarrod Bowen scored one goal each
West Ham's top two scorers this season have been Michael Antonio and Jarrod Bowen, both in the starting XI against Sevilla. If West Ham are able to win the midfield fight, these two players should be rewarded with plenty of chances to score in the attacking third. If they're both on their game, it's not hard to imagine the two of them finding the pair in the back of the net.
Sevilla boast a strong defense, but if West Ham can take care of the trade in the middle of the pitch, they could be showering opportunities for their attacking tandem, both trying to finish the job in front of goal.
1. West Ham Keep a Clean Sheet
It has all the advantages of a low-scoring game. Sevilla's defense is formidable, and they rarely drop many goals in a game. Their offense, however, is less powerful, and they often find themselves struggling to convert scoring opportunities. The same could happen again on Thursday, as West Ham's defensive line will try to lock down Sevilla, who are being pushed forward by newcomers at Corona and Martial.
With Lukasz Fabianski enjoying a strong season, Sevilla's clash in front of goal could well leak into Thursday's game, and West Ham could move away from the Ramon Sánchez-Pizzuan Stadium before the second leg, which will take place in London. is going to happen in ,