Supercomputer predicts West Ham to miss out on 10-year first in FA Cup clash vs Brentford
West Ham will have to be faultless when they host Brentford in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Monday.
The Hammers secured a 1-0 win over London rivals Fulham in midweek, and they showed grit and determination to get over the line and secure all three points.
Nuno Espirito Santo has done a brilliant job since his arrival in E20, and the FA Cup could prove to be a nice distraction from the relegation battle in the Premier League.
However, although West Ham have the chance to qualify for their first FA Cup quarter-final in 10 years, the odds are firmly stacked against them.
Read more: Gary Lineker shares key reason behind Nuno Espirito Santo turnaround at West Ham
Brentford predicted as favourites vs West Ham
At the start of the season, many people thought that Brentford would be fighting relegation, but Keith Andrews has his side sitting seventh in the Premier League.
Having already beaten West Ham 2-0 earlier in the season, the visitors will feel confident of securing another win at the London Stadium.
According to Opta‘s supercomputer, West Ham are set to lose once again under Nuno.
- Brentford have been given a 42.8 per cent chance of claiming the victory
- West Ham have a 31.9 per cent chance of securing a home win
- A draw has been given a 25.3 per cent probability of occurring
West Ham have been eliminated from their last three FA Cup fifth-round ties, last reaching the quarter-final stage in the 2015-16 campaign.
In fact, the Bees have won seven of their 10 games against the Hammers in all competitions since becoming a Premier League side in 2021; they haven’t beaten a side more often during that period.
Brentford have kept a clean sheet in both their FA Cup matches this season, as many as in their previous 20 games in the competition, which shows how tough a test Monday will be for the Hammers.
While both sides will rotate their starting line-up, West Ham need to ensure that they keep the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville in the side.
Why Nuno Espirito Santo can’t afford to make many changes in West Ham vs Brentford
The Hammers may have to deal with three games in the space of nine days, but the players should be ready to create history in the FA Cup.
While Alphonse Areola will resume his duties in goal, the core starting line-up won’t differ too much.
In the 1-0 win over Burton in the fourth round, Nuno rotated heavily, and the drop-off in quality was clear.
It took Summerville’s magic off the bench to get past the League One outfit in extra time, and the Portuguese head coach can’t afford to make that mistake again versus Brentford.
West Ham have a lot of momentum behind them, and elimination from the FA Cup would not only damage confidence but also send a message that Nuno doesn’t value the competition.
And given the fact that the Hammers haven’t won the FA Cup since 1980, he needs to field a strong side.
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