We take a look at the West Ham first goalscorer odds as they take on Brentford at the London Stadium on Monday night in the Premier League (PL). The Hammers have been in awful form since the turn of the year, with their 2-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest last time out their third consecutive league loss.
It means the Hammers are still yet to win in 2024, and have subsequently slipped down to ninth in the table and been knocked out of the FA Cup by Championship side Bristol City. They will be desperate for a positive result in a London derby in front of their own fans, with Brentford themselves struggling for form having lost four of their last five league matches.
West Ham first goalscorer odds vs Brentford – Our picks
Jarrod Bowen – 6/1
Bowen is the most likely to open the scoring for West Ham according to betting markets. He is their top PL scorer with 11 goals, but is yet to score in the league in 2024.
With Michail Antonio back from injury, Bowen can resort back to his natural right-wing position, which could see him pick up some much-needed form, starting with Brentford on Monday.
Mohammed Kudus – 17/2
Kudus returned to the team earlier this month after representing Ghana at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), but is yet to find the back of the net in four league appearances. However, his six PL goals make him West Ham's second-highest scorer after Bowen.
Kudus did score in the reverse fixture too alongside Bowen, but the Hammers lost 3-2. Nonetheless, he will be hoping for revenge when the Bees visit on Monday.
James Ward-Prowse – 11/1
Ward-Prowse is always deadly from a set-piece, and is West Ham's joint-third highest PL scorer with five goals this season. He has scored twice since the turn of the year, which is more than most of David Moyes' squad can say for themselves.
Ward-Prowse also tends to play the whole game, and has played the second-most minutes in the league (2134) behind Bowen in the squad. This means he is more likely to net the winner if the match is tight, which it could be with both hoping to avoid another defeat.
Michail Antonio – 11/1
Antonio has suffered from injury problems throughout the season, but was back in the starting line-up in last weekend's 2-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest. That was only his 13th PL appearance this campaign, and he has only scored twice.
Nonetheless, Antonio's presence up front should make West Ham stronger, as he can hold the ball up for the likes of Bowen and Kudus to work their magic. A natural number nine up top could change their fortunes, especially if it helps bring their flair players into play.
Lucas Paqueta – 14/1
Our final pick is Paqueta, who is back in training after injury and who Moyes has hinted could make a return to the squad against Brentford. He would be a welcome boost for West Ham, who have missed his creativity since he has been out injured.
The Brazilian boasts two goals and five assists from midfield in the PL so far this season, and ranks highly among his teammates in terms of average shots, key passes and dribbles per league game. Nonetheless, he could make all the difference as the home fans greet his return to the team.
Check out our West Ham vs Brentford prediction, odds & betting tips!
