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Match Preview: Irons vs Swans

West Ham United are busy preparing themselves for an all important clash with Swansea City this weekend.

Tottenham Hotspur are a nightmare. End of story.

Swansea City on the other hand - Well, this is a game where we can win and pick up three points. Paul Clement has begun what he’d hope to be his first full season in charge of the Welsh club, however they could already be touted as favourites to win this one.

Currently, Swansea have picked up 1 win and 2 draws from their six Premier League matches. Not bad for a team who have been struggling in recent seasons.

West Ham United on the other hand...

West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League
Slaven Bilic attempts to rally the lads together for the final push against Spurs.
Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Okay, to be fair to Bilic, Tottenham have found form and are running themselves mental with it. But with only a win and a draw to his name, it appears Slaven could need some luck on his side. And Swansea, plus the following TWO games afterwards, offer 9 points to the Hammers’ campaign struggles.

The Tottenham game witnessed Michail Antonio hit the deck as he received a knock. It’s believed he’ll be back in time for Burnley away as well as Manuel Lanzini returning in time for Burnley away. Marko Arnautovic, Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, Andy Carroll, Diafra Sakho and Andre Ayew will all need to pull up their socks though if West Ham United are to get out of the relegation zone.

Players to watch: Tammy Abraham (Swansea City) and Marko Arnautovic (West Ham)

Swansea City v Watford - Premier League
Tammy Abraham as he celebrates his goal against Watford
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

Swansea City currently have a brilliant player in Chelsea loanee Tammy Abraham as he is a rather quick, skilled young forward although he can be a little impatient at times. Abraham, if left unmarked, could pose some problems for the West Ham defence, however he will be one to watch throughout this clash at the London Stadium.

West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League
Marko Arnautovic deals with Serge Aurier of Tottenham Hotspur - Before Aurier’s sending off.
Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Marko Arnautovic is probably one of West Ham’s best players at the moment. Despite having received a three-match ban against Southampton, Arnie has returned with a hunger, and it’s clearly visible on the pitch. He may be somewhat of a rebel at the moment, but we could be singing his name before long, especially if he picks up one or two goals soon.

Stand-out Defenders: Alfie Mawson (Swansea City) and Jose Fonte (West Ham)

Swansea City v Watford - Premier League
Alfie Mawson pressures Richalison of Watford
Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images

Bear with me on this one. I’m not a follower of Swansea. I don’t know much about them, but one name that comes to mind whenever I think of Swansea City AFC is Alfie Mawson. He is a bright young defender with a brilliant future ahead of him. Again, pace and strength are his two benefits, but he also has the ability to cause issues with opposition defenders as well.

West Bromwich Albion v West Ham United - Premier League
He’s found form - and we’re loving it. Jose Fonte against Spurs last weekend.
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Jose Fonte, the man we all gave a lot of grief to at the beginning of this Premier League season. Oh, how we have been proven wrong! The Portuguese international defender was off to a rough start during pre-season and looked a little lost during the first two games of the Premier League season, but since Huddersfield at home, Fonte has exploded into form and has been a regular in Slaven’s back three since the change in formation.

He definitely gets a mention here, and almost beat Marko as West Ham’s Player to Watch.

Familiar Faces: Wilfred Bony (Swansea City) and Andre Ayew (West Ham)

Swansea City v Watford - Premier League
Wilfred Bony for Swansea City
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

Wilfred Bony hasn’t come to play for us yet, but he’s certainly a familiar face as he’s currently in his second spell with the Swans after being sold back from Manchester City. The striker returns to find form with the Swans, however fans will quickly wonder why they resigned him should the 28-year old not find it.

West Ham United v Bolton Wanderers - Carabao Cup Third Round
Andre Ayew controls the ball against Bolton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup Third Round
Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Andre Ayew is sure to be included in Slaven Bilic’s Starting XI for West Ham United. After signing a three-year contract last season from Swansea, Ayew came and did reasonably okay, however he has lost his goal-scoring partner in Sofiane Feghouli.

Ayew is a competent striker and has the ability to cause problems for the opposition, however there could still be some hard feelings from the Swansea faithful which could lead to Ayew having an interesting game.

Score Predictions:

TKH: I’m going to be bold and say that because this is a home game and because our fans are still livid with the Spurs result, the atmosphere at the London Stadium will be absolutely electric, more so than usual. With that said, I see the crowd well and truly being the 12th man and help the lads achieve a 4-1 West Ham win.

Chris (Co-host on The Kiwi Hammer channel): I think we’ll grab ourselves a 3-1 West Ham win. Ayew will be played on the right, due to Antonio being injured, but he has to pull his socks up and perform.

Check out our Match Preview video

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