WEST HAM UNITED will be looking to maintain their perfect start in Europa Conference League Group B when they lock horns with Anderlecht at Lotto Park on Thursday evening.
After enjoying a remarkable run to last season's Europa League semi-finals, the Hammers have unsurprisingly made a seamless transition in Europe's third tier competition.
David Moyes' men opened with a 3-1 win over FCSB before surviving a late scare to win 3-2 at Silkeborg on matchday two.
Following a much-needed 2-0 win over Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday, West Ham will be hoping to build momentum by securing another three points in Brussels
Anderlecht looked to be West Ham's biggest threat when the draw was made and that has proved to be the case thus far, with Felice Mazzù's men currently occupying second-place with four points.
That being said, the Belgian giants have had a fairly underwhelming start to their domestic campaign, with Sunday's 1-0 loss at home to Sporting Charleroi leaving the hosts languishing in 10th-place in the Belgian Pro League.
Outright Betting
Anderlecht won their opening group game at home against Silkeborg but the same outcome here is an unfancied 14/5 (SBK) while a point apiece at Lotto Park is also deemed unlikely at 45/17 (SBK) with the same firm.
West Ham, who could put one foot in the knockout stages with a win on Thursday evening, are 19/20 (William Hill) favourites to emerge victorious.
Betting Angles
Given the superior quality in West Ham’s ranks compared to that of their opponents, backing the visitors score two more goals holds appeal at even-money with PaddyPower.
With a home game against Fulham lying in wait on Sunday, it is hard to gauge just how strong a team David Moyes will field on Thursday evening, however the Hammers have strength in depth to their squad now.
That was evident in West Ham's opening two group fixtures as boss Moyes had the luxury of leaving a few big names on the bench without significantly weakening his starting XI.
Not only did a rotated Hammers team claim maximum points on both occasions, but they also racked up six strikes across those two contests, which doesn't bode well for out-of-sorts Anderlecht.
As already alluded to, the hosts have endured a wretched start to their domestic season and that can be attributed to the fact that they have posted a mere two clean sheets in 10 Belgian top-flight outings this term.
It's also worth pointing out that the Purple and White have conceded multiple goals in three of their last six league games and that only adds to the appeal of backing West Ham to strike twice at evens (PaddyPower).
Elsewhere, I'll also dip into the player card market and have a small play on Anderlecht's Jan Vertonghen to pick up a caution at 10/3 with Bet 365.
The former Tottenham defender is in the twilight of his career and given his lack of pace he may have to take a yellow card here when faced with a West Ham frontline that should cause him real problems.
This UEFA Europa League Conference match between Anderlecht and West Ham United will be played on Oct 6, 2022 and kick off at 17:45. Check below for our tipsters best Anderlecht vs West Ham United prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
