West Ham vs Leeds United: prediction, head-to-head and probable line-ups — 24.05.2026
One of the matches of the 38th round of the English Premier League will take place on Sunday at the London Stadium in London, where West Ham will host Leeds United. Here’s my prediction for this showdown: the hosts are teetering on the brink of relegation and absolutely must win, while the visitors have already secured their Premier League status and can play with no pressure.
- See also: Manchester City vs Aston Villa: prediction, head-to-head and probable line-ups — 24.05.2026
Match preview
West Ham approaches the final matchday in critical condition: the team sits in the relegation zone, two points behind Tottenham, and to survive they not only need to beat Leeds, but also hope Spurs lose to Everton. After a dramatic 2-1 win over Everton, it seemed Nuno Espírito Santo’s team had found some momentum, but then came three straight defeats — to Brentford, Arsenal, and Newcastle.
The loss to Newcastle was especially painful, with the Hammers falling 1-3 and fans openly venting their frustration at the players with harsh chants. Still, there’s something for West Ham to hold onto at home: the team has lost just one of their last seven Premier League games at the London Stadium, and their last five home victories have all come against opponents from the bottom half of the table.
Leeds have already accomplished their main season objective and, after returning to the top flight, look far calmer than many expected. Daniel Farke’s side are mid-table and, since switching to a five-man defense, have lost only four of their last 24 league matches, now riding an eight-match unbeaten streak.
Last round, Leeds edged Brighton 1-0, even though their opponents fired 19 shots, with the decisive goal coming from Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the 96th minute. The visitors can reach the 50-point mark and finish the season with pride, but in terms of emotional intensity, they can’t match West Ham, for whom this match is all about survival.
Probable line-ups
- West Ham: Hermansen, Wan-Bissaka, Disasi, Mavropanos, Diouf, Souček, Fernandes, Bowen, Pablo, Summerville, Castellanos.
- Leeds United: Darlow, Rodon, Bijol, Struijk, Bogle, Ampadu, Tanaka, Justin, Aaronson, Nmecha, Calvert-Lewin.
Match facts and head-to-head
- West Ham defeated Leeds 3-1 in their last home meeting in May 2023.
- Leeds are unbeaten in eight consecutive Premier League matches — their best run since 2001.
- Leeds have already beaten West Ham 2-1 at Elland Road this season and could complete their first league double over the Hammers since the 2002/03 campaign.
Prediction
West Ham are in a situation where caution no longer helps: they need nothing less than a win and must then hope for a favorable result in the parallel fixture. The home crowd should turn the London Stadium into a cauldron of nerves, and that emotional chemistry might be the Hammers’ greatest weapon. Leeds are organized, confident, and dangerous on the counter, especially with Calvert-Lewin up front, but the visitors feel no tournament pressure. West Ham have more reasons to take risks, more motivation to fight to the end, and enough attacking quality through Bowen, Summerville, and Castellanos.
