Wycombe vs West Ham U21 Prediction: The Hammers’ youngsters to shine?

Wycombe Wanderers will be looking to progress to the quarter-finals of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy on Tuesday night (19:45) as they welcome West Ham United Under-21s to Adams Park.

A scalp over a Premier League youth side is not unfamiliar to the Chairboys after they defeated Fulham 3-2 in the previous round, and West Ham ran out 4-0 winners over Colchester United to reach this stage of the competition. We could therefore be treated to an exciting encounter in Buckinghamshire as these two lock horns.

Match Odds

Wycombe are viewed as the favourites to win the match in 90 minutes and they are valued at 5/6. West Ham are at the enticing price of 12/5, which offers excellent value for the 2023 FA Youth Cup champions to progress to the last-eight. A draw can be backed at 11/4.

There is a good chance of goals at both ends in this fixture, which sees both teams to score priced at 4/9. The odds aren't great in backing over 2.5 goals at 1/2, but over 3.5 is much more appealing at 6/5.

Team News

Wycome boss Matt Bloomfield has no fresh injury concerns heading into Tuesday's meeting and he is expected to name the same starting lineup that played in the 1-1 draw with Burton Albion in League One on Saturday. Sam Vokes scored the equaliser in that game but he was brought on from the bench, and is expected to be limited to a cameo again against the young Hammers.

Defender Ben Johnson, who has been left frustrated by his lack of game time in the West Ham first team, is set to feature for the young Hammers despite coming off the bench against Bristol City in the FA Cup on Sunday. And having started against Coventry in the previous round, it is fair to assume he will maintain his place in defence against Wycombe.

Striker Divin Mubama also featured against the Robins, and he too is expected to start against the Chairboys, particularly because his goalscoring record at youth level, especially last season.

West Ham U21s and both teams to score @ 4/1

We are very excited about this price, particularly given that West Ham are one of the best youth sides in the UK right now. Their FA Youth Cup triumph saw them end the club's 24-year wait to reclaim that crown and that team is blessed with many stars of the future.

Mubama's pedigree at that level is exceptional and we are just waiting to see him unleash his potential on the senior stage. He has two goals in as many appearances in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy and will be hoping to add to his tally against the Chairboys.

He isn't the only Academy of Football star to be enjoying himself in this competition as fellow forward Callum Marshall, also tipped for a bright future, and George Earthy, have been among the goals with three apiece.

The Chairboys have a goal threat of their own, however. Young forward Dale Taylor scored twice in the win over Fulham's U21s in the last round, on top of his three goals in League One. Then there is the likes of Vokes, Luke Leahy and Brandon Hanlan.

There is enough quality within the third-tier outfit's ranks to cause some problems for the Hammers' youth side.

But with so much promise surrounding this group of West Ham youngsters, we do fancy them to once again show the hype is warranted and settle this game in 90 minutes.

Over 3.5 goals @ 6/5

For the reasons we mentioned above, we fancy this game to rack up quite a few goals and could set up an interesting battle. The young Hammers are testing themselves against senior opposition as they look to cope with the adjustment from academy to first-team football.

They have so far not had any issues in this testing period on the Bristol Street Motors Trophy stage, but it is still very different to the demands of Premier League football. However, it provides an excellent learning environment and this exciting batch of talent has been thriving in this competition.

Wycombe have been enjoying themselves, too, and they will know the challenges West Ham will bring to Adams Park. They will be confident after dispatching Fulham but will know that there is a gulf in class between Fulham's youngsters and West Ham's. This game will be as much of an interesting test for the Chairboys as it is for the visitors and both sets of players will be out to show what they're about.

Over 3.5 goals has landed in four fixtures in which these teams have played collectively this season, and it is worth backing again as they square up against one another.