Harry Redknapp shares West Ham United prediction v Southampton in Premier League
Harry Redknapp believes West Ham United must “stamp their impression” on Southampton in the opening 15 minutes of their relegation showdown if they wish to claim all three points at the London Stadium.
The Hammers return to Premier League action when they face the Saints on Sunday (2 April), who currently sit on the foot of the table and just a solitary point off David Moyes’ side.
Speaking to Claret and Hugh, Redknapp admitted that he saw West Ham claiming a crucial victory against their relegation rivals but urged them to fly out of the blocks and put Ruben Selles’ outfit under pressure in the opening stages of the game.
”The big thing on Sunday will put the slow starts to bed,” he said.
“They need to really go for it in the first 15 minutes and stamp their impression on the game and I think they will.
“There’s a lot of quality in the squad and I see them winning the game, and although anything can happen at the bottom in the circumstances we are seeing, I really don’t see the club doing down.”
Crowd crucial
Redknapp is quite right in his assessment of West Ham’s issues this season.
The London Stadium has the potential to be a fortress for Moyes’ side, but the atmosphere has often been subdued due to a string of slow starts.
In a match of this magnitude, in which either side could boost their survival chances significantly, getting the home faithful on side from the first whistle could be the pivotal factor.
The Hammers showed that they could turn on the style at home in their 4-0 thrashing of Nottingham Forest, but even then, the first goal didn’t come until the 71st minute of the game.
As soon as Danny Ings netted that opening goal, the crowd was in full voice, and the West Ham players responded with a trio of late goals.
A fast start against the Saints could be all the West Ham United players need to kickstart a revival up the Premier League table.