FA Cup: Hammers are Determined to Sustain Their Turnaround

West Ham United vs Brentford

West Ham United are slowly building momentum under head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, and making it far in the FA Cup could add some gloss to their rollercoaster 2025-26 campaign. After winning 1-0 over Burton in the fourth round (despite being reduced to 10 men), the Hammers will host Brentford at the London Stadium on Monday evening.

The Hammers are fresh from a 1-0 win against the Cottagers last Wednesday, making them undefeated in five of their last six games across all competitions. They also need to do well in this game, as they gear up for their crunch league clash against Manchester City next weekend.

Meanwhile, Brentford eliminated non-league giant killers Macclesfield in the fourth round with a single goal. The Bees are seventh in the English top-flight table with 44 points and are coming off a goalless draw against Bournemouth.

 

Talking Points

Summerville has been superb for West Ham United

Crysencio Summerville basked in the pandemonium of the London Stadium crowd when he broke the deadlock in West Ham United’s narrow win against Fulham last time out. The Dutchman was on the scoresheet in the 65th minute, as he dinked the ball into the back of the net after Bernd Leno and Calvin Bassey’s howler outside the penalty area.

Before this, Summerville struggled for form and confidence after joining the Hammers from Leeds United in August 2024. Now, he has notched more goals in his last 10 appearances for the club (seven) than he did in his first 38 (one). And with how he’s been playing on the left wing lately, Summerville has breathed new life into the Hammers’ fight for survival.

With their latest win, West Ham United have now piled up 14 of their 28 points this season in their past eight Premier League matches. If they beat Manchester City in their next league game, they’ll be out of the relegation zone for the first time since December, and maybe for good.

There’s more good news for the Hammers, as Freddie Potts is available for selection after completing a three-match ban for his red card against Burton in the last round. 

 

Ouattara sets the tone for Brentford

Brentford were nearly flawless last month, as Dango Ouattara has been their talisman in the past few games. With his match-winning strikes against Aston Villa and Newcastle United, along with two assists, the Burkinabe winger, the team’s third leading scorer with five goals, is among the nominees for February’s Premier League Player of the Month award. 

Ouattara will likely join Igor Thiago, Mikkel Damsgaard, and Kevin Schade in the final third. Michael Kayode is another danger man for Brentford, given his versatility on the right flank.

Keith Andrews is also a nominee for the Premier League Manager of the Month award, and he will do his best to lead the Bees past the fifth round for the first time since 1988-89. 

 

History

Brentford won 2-0 against West Ham United in their first league fixture of the season last October, as Igor Thiago and Mathias Jensen scored in the London Stadium. It was Nuno Espirito Santo’s first home game in charge of the East London outfit and Keith Andrews’ first-ever Premier League road victory. The Bees have won seven of their 10 games against the Hammers in all competitions since joining the English top-flight in 2021 (D1, L2).

Monday marks only the third time West Ham United and Brentford have met in the FA Cup. The Bees progressed in a fourth-round replay in 1926-27, while the Hammers won 1-0 in the third round in 2022-23. It also marks the first time since 2018-19 that Brentford have reached the fifth round.

 

Betting Tip

The FA Cup 2026 odds predict Brentford progressing to the next round, but they’ll earn their spot the hard way. The Bees are at 2.17 odds to win, while the Hammers are not far behind at 2.81, and a draw after 90 minutes is at 3.27 in the 1X2 market.

While choosing the winner of this contest is a tough call, based on their recent encounters, FA Cup 2026 highlights could only come a few and far between on Monday evening. Besides our recommended bet, SBOTOP punters may also add Under 2.75 at 1.93 and even Total Goal 0-1 at 3.64 to the parlay, with Total Goal 2-3 at 2.02 being the middle ground. Moreover, a Correct Score of 2-0 in favour of Brentford – the result of their previous league encounter – could yield a handsome payout of 12.50 your bet.

   

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