Mark Lawrenson predicts outcome of West Ham United trip to Norwich
Mark Lawrenson predicts West Ham will only manage a 1-1 draw against already-relegated Norwich on their return to Premier League action.
The Hammers went down to a painful defeat in Frankfurt on Thursday night (5 May) to see their Europa League dream come to an end, and had to play 70 minutes of the game with 10 men.
Lawrenson expects this to mean David Moyes fields a weakened side, and it won’t have enough to overcome Dean Smith’s men who could show some belated fight for their supporters.
In his BBC Sport predictions the pundit said: “Norwich were relegated last week but I don’t think they will just roll over in front of their own fans.
“West Ham won’t have their strongest team out after Thursday’s Europa League semi-final with Eintracht Frankfurt, but whatever side David Moyes puts out they will be difficult to beat.”
Come down
After the European highs, the 1-0 defeat in Germany was crushing, particularly in the circumstances it occurred.
Aaron Cresswell’s early sending off, his second of the knockout stages, essentially put a stop the Irons hopes of a comeback from the first-leg deficit before it had got going.
Moyes was himself show a red in the second half as his frustrations boiled over and he kicked the ball at a ball boy.
With the side clinging to the remaining European spot in the Premier League, which would see them into the Europa Conference League next season, the players will somehow have to rouse themselves to keep battling.
It would be a huge anti-climax to come so close to winning the entire competition on the continent and finish empty-handed, and to then miss out on Europe all together for next year.
In that context they have to be looking for more than the predicted draw against the league’s worst side.
Otherwise their chances of reeling in Manchester United in the Europa League spots will be badly damaged, and they run the risk of being overtaken by Wolves from below.
In other West Ham news, Moyes wants five new players in the summer, including a impressive young striker and an upgrade on Cresswell.
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