Mark Lawrenson backed Southampton to beat West Ham 2-1 at St Mary’s on Saturday, when writing his regular column for BBC Sport.
The Hammers head into the game on the back of a woeful run of form. They have won just one of their last 10 Premier League games.
Manuel Pellegrini’s men currently sit in 16th spot in the table, just one point clear of the drop zone.
The Saints, meanwhile, are also struggling, and they sit in 18th position in the table. They have shown slight improvements recently, however, having taken seven points from their last four games.
West Ham and Southampton both desperately need a win.
Defeat for the Hammers could spell the end for Manuel Pellegrini, whilst Ralph Hasenhuttl would find himself under more pressure should the east London outfit win the game.
Southampton are renowned for playing with high energy levels, and that could pose a problem for West Ham, what with their lack of pace and power, especially in the middle of the park.
Lawrenson suggested that the Saints will beat the Hammers, when writing his column for BBC Sport, whilst pointing the finger of blame at the West Ham board:
“I don’t think West Ham have helped their manager Manuel Pellegrini with the noises that have been coming out of the club. Whoever is feeding stories to the media seems to be trying to make everyone aware that Pellegrini’s future is being discussed. You don’t need to say any of that, because it is obvious he is under pressure. While West Ham slide down the table, Saints have been heading in the opposite direction with a run of seven points from their past four games. Danny Ings cannot stop scoring at the moment, which is handy for them.”
Lawro’s prediction: 2-1
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