West Ham United and Gent are set to play the second leg of their Europa Conference League quarter-final, with both teams feeling positive about advancing to the next stage of the competition.
In their previous meeting in Belgium last week, the teams drew 1-1. Despite being the home team, Gent was unlucky not to have an advantage going into the second leg at the London Stadium.
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West Ham United-Gent match preview
West Ham United was content with the Europa Conference League draw, but coach David Moyes was aware of the strong form of Gent. The Belgian team proved to be a tough opponent, and West Ham had to endure intense pressure to earn a draw ahead of the return leg in London.
The tie is now evenly poised, but West Ham can take heart from their recent performances, having lost just once in eight matches. They managed to come back to earn a 2-2 draw against Arsenal, the Premier League leaders, which has eased the pressure on Moyes.
West Ham now has a four-point cushion above the relegation zone, giving them some breathing room. With their unbeaten record of 11 games in European competitions, West Ham can concentrate on progressing further in the tournament.
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West Ham United possible starting lineup:
Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Palmieri; Rice, Downes, Paqueta; Benrahma, Ings, Bowen
Gent possible starting lineup:
Roef; Torunarigha, Okumu, Piatkowski; Castro-Montes, Kums, De Sart, Fofana; Hong; Cuypers, Orban
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West Ham United-Gent prediction
West Ham are on a run of back-to-back draws and have lost just one of their last eight games across all competitions. They have shown solidity on home turf of late and will be looking forward to Thursday’s game.
Gent are on a run of three consecutive draws and are unbeaten in their last nine matches. The sheer gulf in class and quality between the two sides should, however, see the Hammers win here.
Prediction: West Ham United 2–1 Gent
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Date, kick-off time, venue
West Ham vs Gent is scheduled for an 8pm BST kick-off time on Thursday, April 20, 2023. The match will be played at the London Stadium.
