Weekend Review: Happy Hammers get one over Chelsea as bookies bemoan Moyes masterclass
West Ham’s 3-2 victory gave punters plenty to cheer about as low-scoring Liverpool give layers a silver lining
West Ham (15/4) secured a famous victory over London rivals Chelsea (3/4) in the Premier League as the punters edged ahead before the busy Christmas period.
West Ham ran out 3-2 winners over the Champions League holders in a tumultuous fixture which saw Chelsea take the lead via a Thiago Silva header, before Manuel Lanzini equalised from the penalty spot for the Hammers.
Mason Mount volleyed home as Chelsea retook the lead on 44 minutes before Jarrod Bowen blasted home from the edge of the area to restore parity with a fine finish.
There was still time for Arthur Masuaku’s cross-cum-shot to inexplicably fly into the Chelsea net to send the London Stadium into delirium and to solidify West Ham’s place in the top four.
? Everywhere they goooo… ? #WHUCHE pic.twitter.com/Dblqza3xWx
— West Ham United (@WestHam) December 4, 2021
Kindred Group’s Ali Gill said: “The goal fest that was West Ham versus Chelsea meant that although the 1X2 went our way, overall there wasn’t much in it as goal backers got what they wanted. West Ham weren’t without their backers either given Chelsea’s recent drop-off in contrast to the Hammers flying.”
Despite some assumptions that a West Ham victory would have been good for the bookies, bet365’s Steve Freeth explained how the result ended up as a painful one to swallow.
He told EGR: “On paper a West Ham victory over title-chasing Chelsea would seem to be a good result. However, that was not the case with the Hammers giving us our worst Premier League result of the weekend.
“As well as being well backed pre-game, there was also support in-play with the added extra of goals on top,” he added.
Elsewhere, low-scoring 1-0 wins for Liverpool (2/5) and Manchester United (1/2) over Wolves and Crystal Palace respectively represented a silver lining for bookies.
Freeth continued: “Liverpool may have broken Wolves’ hearts with a late winner, but it wasn’t too bad on the singles front, likewise the low-scoring fare served up by Newcastle and the draw at Southampton, nor was Manchester United’s 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace leaving us with a flat weekend in the top flight.”
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— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 4, 2021
Betfred’s Alan Firkins detailed the latest odds for the outright Premier League title following Chelsea’s loss and Manchester City’s (1/5) dominant 3-1 win away to Watford.
Firkins said: “There was a changing of the guard at the Premier League’s summit at the weekend. Champions Manchester City are the new pacesetters and have shortened to 8/13 to retain their title. Chelsea, now out to 9/2, succumbed to West Ham, but was anyone really that surprised?
“Liverpool left it late at Molineux and are second-best outright at 11/4, while City, and Bernardo Silva in particular, are purring.
“We just edged the battles at weekend overall, though United, City and Liverpool predictably took plenty out of the coffers,” he added.
Elsewhere, in horseracing, Bryony Frost put a difficult week behind her with a fantastic performance at Sandown to win the two-mile Tingle Creek Chase.
Riding Greaneteen for trainer Paul Nicholls, Frost booted the 12/1 shot home up the hill to win by more than five lengths from stablemate Hitman in second, with pre-race favourite Chacun Pour Soi well off the boil.
'A heart-warming performance!'
Bryony Frost wins on Greaneteen to take the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase ?
(Great shout from @LeonnaMayor ?)
Watch LIVE
? @ITV4
? https://t.co/FI4VjrJa48 pic.twitter.com/7fqaQ2Famu— ITV Racing (@itvracing) December 4, 2021
On Wednesday, Frost had given evidence at a disciplinary panel, with fellow rider Robbie Dunne accused of bullying and harassing her.
Gill said: “At Sandown on Saturday, Greaneteen put on a great show to take the Tingle Creek at 12/1. With second place going to another 12/1 shot, Hitman, and 8/13 fav Chacun Pour Soi being hugely disappointing, was a great result for us.”
Firkins added: “Bryony Frost emerged from a hellish week to win the Tingle Creek on Greaneteen on Saturday, but the eclipse of several fancied opponents meant a decent result for the books.
“The Festival’s Champion Chase is now the target. Betfred is 7/1 for the Nicholls’ machine, from 12/1.”