Mark Lawrenson predicts result of West Ham United clash v Bournemouth

Mark Lawrenson has made his prediction for the opening Premier League game of the season between West Ham and Bournemouth this weekend.

The Hammers travel to the Vitality Stadium on Saturday (12 August) in their first official game since winning the Europa Conference League, having officially just signed one player this summer.

But Lawrenson, while talking to Paddy Power (11 August) has revealed the club are close to signing “three or four” players although he doesn’t expect them to play in this game and is backing a draw between the two sides.

“West Ham are finally splashing the cash but I don’t know how many of the new players will be available for this,” he said.

“I think they’ve got three, maybe four coming in. I fancy a draw here. That would be a good result for Bournemouth. Bournemouth 1-1 West Ham.”

Interesting

We already know that Edson Alvarez has joined the club, while David Moyes has confirmed that James Ward-Prowse has had his medical ahead of a move and an offer for Harry Maguire has been accepted by Manchester United.

That would make it three transfers, potentially what Lawrenson is talking about, but there is also the chance that he’s heard something else and someone else could be on the way.

As for the game, West Ham should feel that this is a winnable game even without any of the new signings on the pitch and without Declan Rice and Gianluca Scamacca who have obviously left the club.

Alvarez is available to play although he will have only had one session with the group, but the rest of the squad is fit and well and on paper is much stronger than the Cherries.

They have a new manager and will be keen to impress in front of their home fans, but these are the games we have to win to get back to competing for European places so there should be no excuses.

In other West Ham news, Chris Sutton has predicted the result of the clash v Bournemouth.