THE stakes couldn't be higher for Watford's trip to West Ham with victory all but guaranteeing Premier League survival for either side.
They both head into the game buoyed by weekend victories, with the Hammers crushing Norwich 4-0 while the Hornets came from behind to claim a 2-1 victory over Newcastle.
With Bournemouth claiming a surprise victory over Leicester a day later, those wins were even more crucial as they maintained a three-point cushion over Eddie Howe's side with three games to play.
One more win should be enough to stay up and Davie Moyes will be desperate to get it here as West Ham then face a tough game at Manchester United before closing with a potential do-or-die clash at home to Aston Villa.
Watford's last two games are arguably even more daunting, with the visit of in-form Manchester City followed by a trip to Arsenal, so they will be equally desperate to claim the points here.
How the bookies view it
Despite the teams being in similar form, West Ham are the favourites at a best 29/20 with Unibet while Watford are available at 18/7 with VBet. The draw is 21/10 with Betfred and might not be the worst option as these sides are pretty evenly matched.
Recent head to head
West Ham have held the upper hand in this fixture of late, winning three of the last four meetings, but Watford did come out on top on their last visit to the London Stadium.
They triumphed 2-0 there last season but the Hammers have comfortably won the last two games, both at Vicarage Road, including a 3-1 victory earlier this season (below).
Players to watch
I flagged up Michail Antonio as West Ham's biggest threat against Norwich but I don't think anybody expected the big man to smash home four goals at Carrow Road.
His confidence will be sky high heading into this match so I'm surprised to see the striker as big as 23/10 with Paddy Power to add another to his tally here.
Skipper Troy Deeney stepped up for Watford last time out with two penalties and heads the anytime scorer market at 19/10 with 888Sport. But I'm more drawn to the 3/1 on offer for Ismaila Sar to net as the winger's pace can unsettle the Hammers defence.
Anything else catch the eye?
Watford and West Ham will be going for the win so both teams to score should come up. The odds aren't great, however, at a best 10/13 with SportNation.
There have been two goals or more in each of the last 11 games between these sides so it bodes well for some excitement. Over 2.5 goals is evens with Bet365 while the odds increase to 27/10 with BetVictor for over 3.5 strikes.
Watford couldn't cope with West Ham's set-pieces in that loss earlier this season and shipped a goal from a corner against Newcastle. Backing a header to be scored came up for me when the Hornets lost to Burnley and could pay off again here. I haven't seen a price as yet but will keep my eyes peeled.
This English Premier League match between West Ham United and Watford will be played on Jul 17, 2020 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best West Ham United vs Watford prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
