West Ham v Everton preview: Fair Play contenders face off

West Ham and Everton could both enhance their hopes of qualifying for Europe via the Fair Play standings when they meet at Upton Park.

The Hammers and Toffees are vying for a spot in the Europa League after the Premier League was awarded an additional place for next season.

Whoever finishes highest in the Fair Play table will secure the position, with current leaders Liverpool already assured of their place in the competition through league position.

West Ham are second in the table and hold a narrow lead over Everton heading into the final two games.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Teams are assessed in six categories for the Fair Play table: red and yellow cards, positive play, respect towards opponents, respect towards the referee, behaviour of team officials and behaviour of the public.

West Ham can also secure a top-half finish if they end a run of 13 Premier League games without a win against Everton.

But the Toffees, who have suffered back-to-back defeats to Aston Villa and Sunderland, could leapfrog their opponents with a win at Upton Park.

Team news

West Ham are likely to start Alex Song after he made his return from a back injury as a substitute against Aston Villa.

Strikers Diafra Sakho (thigh) and Andy Carroll (knee) are out for the rest of the season.

Left-back Leighton Baines has been ruled out of Everton's final two matches after undergoing ankle surgery, so Luke Garbutt is likely to deputise.

Midfielder Steven Pienaar is still not ready to return from a muscle injury so misses a fifth successive match, meaning manager Roberto Martinez will select from the same players - minus Baines - who lost at home to Sunderland last weekend.

Bryan Oviedo and Darron Gibson (both broken metatarsals) and defender Tony Hibbert are the other long-term absentees.

Opta stats

Romelu Lukaku has scored in each of his five appearances in all competitions for Everton against West Ham.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

No Premier League side has scored more goals via defenders this term than Everton (10); more than twice as many as West Ham (4).

The Toffees have dropped more points from leading positions than any other team this season (19).

Enner Valencia has scored just one goal in his last 21 appearances and has gone 534 minutes since his last strike (v Crystal Palace).

Everton have won only one of their last six away games in the top-flight, losing four (D1).

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Everton (15) have made more errors directly leading to goals than any other Premier League team in 2014/15.

Merson's prediction

I think this is a big game for West Ham, their last home game of the season in front of fans who will want to go away a bit more happy than they have been recently.

And so I am going to go for them to beat Everton here 2-1 as Roberto Martinez’s side have had an absolute nightmare in the last two games.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (9/1 with Sky Bet)

Betting

Everton are Sky Bet’s marginal favourites at 6/4 to West Ham’s odds of 9/5, with the draw priced at 23/10. The battle for a top-half finish is at stake, with the 10th-placed Hammers currently favoured at 2/7 over 5/2 for Roberto Martinez’s men, who will leapfrog their hosts on goal difference if they win.

Romelu Lukaku heads the first goalscorer betting at 5/1 while Diafra Sakho is considered the hosts’ biggest threat at 11/2.