![West Ham vs Bayer Leverkusen predictions: Europa League tips and odds](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/betting/better-collective-new/west-ham-v-bayer-leverkusen-kits-23.jpg?imwidth=680)
West Ham vs Bayer Leverkusen predictions: Europa League tips and odds
Aaron Ashley’s West Ham vs Bayer Leverkusen betting tips include 6/4, 43/20 and 13/1-priced selections, with a high-scoring game expected
![West Ham vs Bayer Leverkusen predictions: Europa League tips and odds](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/betting/better-collective-new/west-ham-v-bayer-leverkusen-kits-23.jpg?imwidth=680)
Our betting expert has three West Ham United vs Bayer Leverkusen tips for Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final, second leg at the London Stadium (kick-off, 8pm). Leverkusen won the first leg 2-0. Scroll down for the analysis behind his selections.
West Ham vs Bayer Leverkusen betting tips
- Bayer Leverkusen to win and over 2.5 goals @ 6/4 with BetMGM
- Mohammed Kudus to score at any time @ 43/20 with BetMGM
- Bet builder: Over 2.5 goals, Mohammed Kudus to have a shot on target and Aaron Cresswell to be shown a card @ 13/1 with BetMGM
Odds correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Already used the BetMGM sign-up offer? Check out all the latest bookmaker offers and the best betting sites.
Leverkusen a cut above
Having looked like escaping the BayArena with a goalless draw, West Ham conceded twice in the final 10 minutes of the first leg against Bayer Leverkusen to leave them facing an uphill battle.
Leverkusen have since been crowned Bundesliga champions for the first time – ending Bayern Munich’s 11-year title streak with Sunday’s 5-0 victory at home to Werder Bremen – and they are unbeaten in 43 matches in all competitions this season.
Xabi Alonso’s side have won 38 matches and drawn five this term, scoring 123 times and conceding just 31. And they have high hopes of securing a famous treble by adding the German Cup and the Europa League.
Last week’s match could have been a demolition job with Leverkusen having 73 per cent possession, racking up 33 shots to West Ham’s one and forcing 10 corners to one.
The Hammers have no choice but to go for it and play on the front foot on home soil, something which should lend itself to a free-flowing encounter with plenty of goalscoring opportunities. But that may only play into Leverkusen’s hands, given their pace and power in the final third.
Alonso’s men have won 20 of their last 22 matches in all competitions and 14 of those successes have featured three goals or more.
West Ham vs Bayer Leverkusen tip 1: Bayer Leverkusen to win & over 2.5 goals @ 6/4 with BetMGM
Check out the best casino bonuses from the best casino sites
Kudus key to Hammers’ hopes
With Lucas Paqueta suspended and Jarrod Bowen an injury doubt, West Ham’s hopes rest largely on the shoulders of Mohammed Kudus.
Leverkusen have conceded in five of their last eight Europa League matches, so they can be breached and in Kudus the Hammers have a serious attacking threat.
The Ghanaian had West Ham’s only shot on target in the opening leg while he also drew five fouls, showing that Leverkusen had some difficulty in stopping his marauding runs.
He has 13 goals in 39 appearances this season – only Bowen has been more prolific – and five of that tally have come from only eight starts in Europe.
West Ham vs Bayer Leverkusen tip 2: Mohammed Kudus to score at any time @ 43/20 with BetMGM
Caution pays with Cresswell
Emerson’s second-half yellow card at the BayArena means he is suspended and, with David Moyes having plenty of injury concerns, Aaron Cresswell may have to fill that void.
Cresswell played in a back three in the opening leg in Germany and, having been an unused substitute against Fulham on Sunday, appears most likely to deputise.
The 34-year-old is a left-back by definition but Leverkusen caused plenty of problems down that side in the opening leg and it is easy to see him falling foul of the referee.
Injuries have restricted him to only 13 appearances this season, but he has been booked three times, including in the home leg against Freiburg in the last round.
The goals should flow with West Ham trailing 2-0 and their best chance of getting back into the contest is through Kudus, who registered their only shot on target in Leverkusen.
Backing over 2.5 goals, Kudus to have a shot on target and Cresswell for a card pays out at 13/1 with BetMGM’s bet-builder feature.
West Ham vs Bayer Leverkusen tip 3: Bet builder: Over 2.5 goals, Mohammed Kudus to have a shot on target and Aaron Cresswell to be shown a card @ 13/1 with BetMGM
Discover the best bingo bonuses from the best bingo sites
West Ham vs Bayer Leverkusen odds
Odds are correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
- Find out what type of gambler you are by taking the Gamalyze test